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18
WATER SUPPLY.
The water supply in the Port has, as usual, received careful attention.
Arrangements have been made whereby the barges used for its conveyance in
some of the docks are periodically emptied and overhauled, the result being
that in the majority of cases extensive repairs are found to be necessary.
The barges used for this purpose are, as a rule, old wooden ones,
generally almost worn out before being adapted. This, in itself, is a great
mistake, and I have tried, so far unsuccessfully, to induce the owners to employ
iron barges for this purpose. Although obviously more expensive to start
with, it is very easy to show that in a few years' time, taking into consideration
the constant expense of repairs caused by the rapid perishing of wood,
alternately wet and dry, they would prove cheaper, and, what is still more
important, the water itself would be far less liable to contamination.
A far better plan would be for those Dock Companies who still allow
water barges to exist in their docks to abolish them altogether, and to lay
water on to all the quays, so that the tanks of vessels could be filled by a
proper hose direct from the main.
This is already done in the most important docks, and certainly obviates
some of the most probable chances of pollution, while furnishing a revenue
to the Company. Twenty-four water barges have already been registered
by this Authority.
Of these, ten had been inspected at the end of the year, and in all, repairs
(in some almost equal to re-construction) were ordered before the craft were
again used. Five of these have since been put into proper order, and five are
still out of use.
NUISANCES.
The chief nuisances dealt with during the last half-year have been those
caused by unloading manure barges, and by smoke from tugs on the river.
In the case of the first, but little can be done ; the unloading is expedited as
much as practicable, but inasmuch as the riparian inhabitants themselves give
no support, but rather seem to encourage the proceeding, it is clear that no
good is likely to result from any energetic action on the part of your officers.
Six tug owners have been warned as to emission of black smoke from their
vessels, and in all cases the warning has been sufficient to abate the nuisance.
A serious nuisance, caused by a foul ditch running from the Soap Works at
Hammersmith parallel to the river, has been abated in consequence of pressure
brought to bear by your Authority upon the Local Board in whose district it
is situated.