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have no hesitation in saying that it should be made compulsory
on landlords of small tenements to adopt it. The alleged usefulness
of the intermittent system, by allowing the surplus water to run to waste
and so clear the drains and pans of the closets, is not, in my opinion,
of sufficient importance to justify its continuance. The poor are
exposed to great danger by drinking water which is contaminated
by its retention in dirty and decayed butts, and by its exposure to
the air from the want of proper coverings to the receptacles. In many
instances, the water is contaminated by the emanations from those privies
which are in close proximity to the water receptacles; and which contamination
is further increased when the privy and the water-butt are
connected, as is frequently the case, by a waste-pipe. I may further add,
that it is the exception, and not the rule, for the Companies to supply
water on Sunday, so that the poor are frequently without water on that
day, unless they fill their pails and tubs when the water is turned on, and
preserve it for future use. But as the poor have neither proper covered
vessels for holding water, and no other place for keeping their supply,
except in their sleeping-rooms, and frequently under their beds, I need
scarcely say that water so kept is unfit to drink.
The objections against the supply of water on the intermittent
system to the poor localities are so great, that I have no hesitation in
giving it as my decided opinion— an opinion which has been formed after
a long experience — that that system should be discontinued to all
the poorer class of houses, and the constant system, by the use of waste
preventers, a plan which has been in operation in this District for the
last seven years, adopted in its stead. When, however, all those houses
now occupied by the poor, which are unfit for habitation, are taken down
and a new and better class erected, it may be desirable to have a
supply of water on the constant system in the interior of every house; but
under existing circumstances, where there is not a sink in any house, nor a
vacant space in which one could be fixed, except perhaps in the room which is
occupied by a family night and day: but then in such a case the emanations
from the sink would render the room unfit for habitation. The proposal,
therefore, to supply water on the constant service to the interior of every
house is simply impracticable. But whatever may be the result of the
New Water Bill in causing the Companies to give a constant supply,
the butts now in use in the poor localities must be abolished.
The plan which is generally adopted in this District for cleansing the
pans of the privies, and for preventing the choking of the drains is, by
flushing them with pails of water twice a day, or as often as may be
required. For this purpose, the landlord finds it to be to his interest to
pay one of his tenants a small sum weekly to perform this duty in a