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Factories and Workplaces. The number of inspections made
to premises registered under the Factories Act, 1937 was 246.
Defects relating to sanitary conveniences, ventilation and other
sanitary matters were dealt with at 31 premises. The table on
page 44 gives details of action taken during the year.
Water Supply. The district is supplied by the Metropolitan
Water Board and by the Sutton District Water Company. Their
respective distributive areas being approximately the parishes
of Merton and Morden.
The supply of the Metropolitan Water Board is only sampled
infrequently as a routine, otherwise samples are taken when
circumstances indicate the necessity for local investigation.
The Board supplies copies of their official minutes in which the
results of the examinations are recorded.
Routine examinations of the Sutton District Water Company's
supply are undertaken by the Authorities in the supply
area upon an agreed rota, which provides for bacteriological and
chemical samples each month. The Company, in addition to the
examinations undertaken by their own full-time Chemist, arrange
for Consulting Chemists to undertake monthly examinations.
Copies of the reports of these Consulting Chemists are received
by local Medical Officers of Health whilst the records of the
Company's own analyses are available for inspection by the
Medical Officers.
There are three deep wells in the district, the supplies from
which are used mainly for industrial purposes. They are drawn
from beneath the London clay. The boreholes vary between
400 ft. and 500 ft. in depth and their capacity between 3,300
galls, and 7,000 galls, per hour.
Seven samples of water from domestic taps were submitted
for chemical or bacteriological examination. The reports on
each sample were satisfactory.
Water Courses. Fifty-eight inspections were made of the
water courses in the district, particularly of the River Wandle, and
Beverley and Pyl Brooks for the purpose of detecting pollutions
and samples were obtained and sent for chemical analysis. Four
instances of pollution were discovered during the year and
appropriate action was taken.
Mosquitoes. A number of complaints were received from
residents and spraying of water courses, ditches and stagnant
ponds was carried out particularly in the vicinity of the Council's
recreation grounds and open spaces during the breeding season.
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