London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Merton 1971
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Merton]
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'On account of their hardness content and alkaline reaction,
the Board's river and well water supplies are shown to be
not plumbo-solvent. It should, however, be appreciated that
all types of water pick up varying amounts of metal from
material of water piping, particularly when it is newly installed.
This applies to copper, zinc, iron and also to lead.'
During 1971, samples of water were taken for bacteriological and chemical examination by the Public Health Inspectors as follows:—
| Bacteriological— | |
| Swimming Baths | 182 |
| Dwelling houses:— | |
| Metropolitan Water Board | 1 |
| Sutton District Water Company | 1 |
| Well water | 9 |
| Other premises:— | |
| Metropolitan Water Board | 2 |
| Sutton District Water Company | 2 |
| Well water | 1 |
| 198 | |
| Unsatisfactory Results— | |
| Swimming Baths | 22 |
| Chemical— | |
| Swimming Baths | 10 |
| Dwelling houses:— | |
| Metropolitan Water Board | 1 |
| Well water | 3 |
| Other premises:— | |
| Metropolitan Water Board | 2 |
| Sutton District Water Company | 1 |
| Well water | 1 |
| 18 | |
| All 18 of these samples were satisfactory. | |
During the year one house which obtained its supply of water
for domestic purposes from a shallow well, was connected to the
Metropolitan Water Board main supply.
The swimming baths mentioned above include installations at
certain school premises, and these in the main were satisfactory.
The Council-owned swimming baths are closely controlled by
the Department concerned, and the co-operation of the Baths Manager
in taking action in respect of unsatisfactory samples is gratefully
acknowledged.
56