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SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE AREA.
WATER SUPPLIES.
During the year 259 samples of water were examined bacteriologically
in the Council's laboratory.
The samples taken were as follows:—
Main water supply (Sutton Well and Woodmansterne Well) 143
(An average per month of 12 samples.)
Private wells 110
Swimming bath water 6
The main water supply continues to be satisfactory both in
quantity and in bacteriological purity.
The present daily routine of systematic bacteriological analyses
adopted at the Sutton District Water Company's premises ensures a
supply of safe drinking water and during the year no authentic case
of illness arising in the district associated with drinking water was
brought to light.
The routine sampling conducted in the district by the Council's
staff and examination in the Council's laboratory provides a check and
safeguards the water as supplied at the consumer's tap.
Too little attention has been paid in recent years by water undertakings
to the condition of the water actually delivered to the consumer
after passing through the Company's mains and in one instance
during the year the work of the Council's staff in safeguarding this
aspect of water undertaking was very well illustrated.
The samples examined showed that the water supplied by the
Sutton District Water Company maintained a high standard of
bacteriological purity throughout the year.
The Medical Officer of Health continued to investigate the conditions
obtaining at the private wells maintained in the district.
As a result of examination of the well waters, and representation
by the Medical Officer of Health to firms maintaining their own wells,
all such water is now subjected to chlorination.
The water in the swimming bath at the Beddington Royal Female
Orphanage is subject to analysis during the warm periods of the year.
During 1938 it was shown to be well looked after and in a satisfactory
state of purity.
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