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106
The coming year 1970 has been named European Conservation Yeor
and protection of the environment has and will receive considerable
publicity. From the local authority viewpoint this is very welcome, as
in the past this battle in which the Public Health Inspector is in the
forefront, has tended to play second fiddle to more grandiose schemes.
Pollution of streams and water courses is common, and with the
tremendous increase in motor vehicles, the disposal of old sump oil
creates many problems. Unfortunately in a number of instances this is
poured into a rainwater or surface water gully which discharges into a
ditch or river, thereby causing gross pollution. Hedges, streams and
rivers are favourite dumping grounds for all types of refuse, putrescible
and otherwise which, in addition to contaminating the water supply and
disfiguring the landscape, provide breeding grounds for rats and flies.
Water Supply
The water supply of the Borough of Redbridge is provided by two
statutory undertakers, namely the Metropolitan Water Board and the
South Essex Waterworks Company and has been of satisfactory quality
and sufficient quantity during the period under review.
The principal source of supply of the Metropolitan Water Board for
the western half of the Borough was from River Lee — derived water
from Lee Bridge Works and well water from Ferry Lane pumping station,
supplemented between May and September by River Lee — derived water
from the new Coppermills Works. Parts of 11 ford receive well water from
Wanstead pumping station. 1,036 samples were submitted to chemical
and/or bacteriological examination. No artificial fluoride was added,
although there was a natural fluoride content of 0.30 milligrammes per
litre in the River Lee derived water.
The supply, being hard in character, is not liable to be plumbosolvent.
All new and repaired mains are disinfected with chlorine and after a
predeterminea period of contact the pipes are flushed out and refilledSamples
of water are then collected from these treated mains and the
mains are returned to service only after results are found to be
satisfactory.