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10
SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE AREA
Water Supply
The provisions of the Tottenham Corporation Act, 1952 relating to the reinstatement of
water supply to private dwelling houses where this has been cut off by the Metropolitan Water
Board due to defective fittings etc., has proved a very useful addition to the general legal
powers available for dealing with matters affecting the living conditions of occupiers.
Dr. E. Windle Taylor, Director of Water Examination of the Metropolitan Water Board, has
kindly supplied the following information regarding Tottenham's water supplies:-
"The supply to the Borough of Tottenham has been satisfactory both in quantity and quality
during the year 1960.
The Borough is supplied from two main river derived sources, namely, the New River and
the River Thames together with well water from Park Well Pumping Station during the summer
months in the locality of Northumberland Park. Details of the analytical results of the water
passing into supply are set out in the following tables.
Samples are collected on five days in every week, or more often if necessary, at each stage
of the purification process and from the distribution system. Tests include physical, chemical
and micro-biological examination.
All new and repaired mains are disinfected with chlorine before being put into service and
samples of water from them are tested bacteriologically to ensure that its quality is up to that
normally supplied. The water supplied to this area is not plumbo-solvent.
The supply to all dwelling houses is direct and not by means of standpipes.
No new sources of supply have been instituted nor have there been any important extensions
to trunk mains and there were no changes in the general scheme of supply to the area. New mains
were laid in the Borough of Tottenham to the extent of 589 yards."
Fluoridation of Water
Although children and young adults today are taller and generally healthier than ever before,
the latter cannot be said of their teeth. Dental decay appears to be on the increase, no doubt
aggravated by consumption of sweets both in children and young adults, a habit gained during the
sweet rationing period of war years. Far too many school children today have bad teeth. Many
parents remain unconcerned, and will only seek dental advice when the child gets toothache. By
that time, of course, it is too late to save the tooth, and the loss of a tooth in a growing child is
much more serious than in an adult.
Some years ago it was noticed that people who drank from water supplies containing small
amounts of fluorine had exceptionally good teeth with very little decay, so trials were carried out
in one or two districts to see the effects of adding small quantities of fluorine to drinking water
where it was not normally present. It was found that this step greatly improved the strength