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REPORT OF THE CHIEF PUBLIC
HEALTH INSPECTOR
This is the Seventh Annual Report on the Environmental Health
of the London Borough of Merton and the contribution which Public
Health Inspectors are constantly making to improve standards in this
important public service.
The surroundings in which we live and work have a profound
effect on our health and development, and the elimination of unhealthy
conditions is the basis of environmental health. Houses that
have become dilapidated or overcrowded, or which lack amenities
such as proper water supply, bath and satisfactory sanitary accommodation;
diseased, unsound, unwholesome and adulterated food; smoke,
grit, dust and other air pollutants; bad drainage and waste disposal;
unsatisfactory working conditions and excessive noise; rodent and
insect infestations—these are some of the conditions the public health
inspector is concerned with in his daily work.
SERVICES UNDER THE PUBLIC HEALTH ACTS
Water Supply
The Metropolitan Water Board and the Sutton District Water
Company are responsible for the supply of water to the Borough and
regular periodic examinations are made by these undertakings. Reports
on examinations are also exchanged with adjoining Local Authorities
who are supplied by the Sutton District Water Company.
With a few exceptions all the dwelling houses within the
Borough are supplied from public water mains direct to the
houses. A number of industrial premises have an additional supply
of water from their own deep wells. There are seven caravan yards
within the Borough, each with a stand-pipe supplying mains water.
I am indebted to the Director of Water Examination, Metropolitan
Water Board for the following information so far as the supply
from that Authority is concerned:—
'The supply was satisfactory both as to quality and quantity
throughout 1971.
'Daily sampling was carried out from the sources of supply,
from the treatment works or well stations, from the distribution
system and through to the consumer. Any sign of
contamination or any other abnormality is immediately investigated.
'No houses were permanently supplied by stand-pipe.
'No artificial fluoride is being added and where the fluoride
content is being indicated by the analyses, it represents the
naturally occurring fluoride in the water.
'The principal source of supply is the River Thames, and
no new sources of supply were instituted and there were no
changes in the general scheme of supply in the Merton area.
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