View report page

III. - WATER SUPPLY.
1. Source of later Supply -
(a) For the Port -
All the docks in the London Area obtain their water supplies from
the Metropolitan "later Board. Tilbury Dock obtains its water from the
South Essex later Company.
The majority of the wharves are supplied by Public later Authorities
within whose area of distribution they are situated, while several have
their own deep wells. A few have no water supplies available for shipping,
in which case any water required can be obtained from water boats.
(b) For Shipping -
Ships usually obtain water from the shore supplies as indicated
above but when no water is available at the berth or if a ship is lying
at buoys in the river, supplies are obtained from water boats.
2. Hydrants and Hosepipes -
Hydrants within the dock area are of the standard type in use by the
Metropolitan later Board. These are situated at intervals along the quayside
and consist of an upright stackpipe with a nozzle coupling to which are attached
the hoses. The hoses* usually of rubber covered with a metal coil,
when not in use are coiled up and hung in specially constructed hose boxes at
convenient points within the docks. When in use particular care is taken that
the hoses do not sag into the dock water and in transference from the ship to
shore that at no time do they come into contact with the dock water. If this
should happen the hoses are thoroughly cleansed and flushed with fresh water
before being used.
3. Number of water boats and their sanitary condition -
There were eleven water boats working in the Port during the year.
'later boats are all of steel construction and of the 'single skin' type,
i.e., the skin of the boat forms the sides and bottom of the tanks and the
deck forms the top. The manholes are raised from 6 inches to 1 foot above the
level of the deck and have steel covers, fitted with locks to prevent unauthorised
persons dipping water from the tanks into buckets which may be
dirty, while the craft is unattended. It is the usual practice to clean the
tanks every three months and to cement-wash them every six months.
All water boats must be registered annually with the Port of London
Authority and before a certificate is granted they must be inspected as to
their fitness for navigation in the river and docks. Notification is received
that a vessel Is coming up for re-registration by the Port of London Authority
and this opportunity is taken by the Port Health Authority to inspect the
vessel as to its fitness for the carriage of drinking water. The Port of
London Authority await a communication from the Port Health Authority stating
that the vessel is in a fit condition for the carriage of drinking water before
issuing a certificate;. This arrangement has worked smoothly for a number of
years and enables your Officers to get such repairs and improvements as are
from time to time necessary, without difficulty.
IV. PORT HEALTH REGULAIIONS, 1933 and 1945.
(a) Arrangements for dealing with Declarations of Health -
Ships bound for London coming up the English Channel take on a Pilot off
Dungeness, those coming across the North Sea take on a Pilot at the Sunk
Lightship, near Harwich. The Elder Brethren of Trinity House have kindly agreed
that Pilots should hand copies of the Declaration of Health to the tasters of
(6)