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There were sixty one reports of contamination in the distribution supplies on board ships.
These samples were drawn mainly from fresh water taps over galley and messroom sinks. The
source of supply from these taps is from the 'domestic fresh water' storage contained in double
bottom tanks and peak tanks. The presence of this potential danger on board stresses the necessity
of ensuring that the standard of purity of 'domestic' water supplies should be as high as
the 'potable' water supplies.
Three samples drawn directly from ships storage tanks were found to be contaminated. In
each case cleaning of the tanks followed by chlorination of the tanks and supply lines was
carried out.
More samples of fresh water were drawn from the water boats purveying fresh water in the
District this year. Twenty samples from the tanks and fourteen from the delivery ends of supply
hoses showed contamination. In each case standard procedure of tank cleaning and chlorination
was carried out.
The 84.99% of 'satisfactory', 'good' and 'Excellent' results in the fresh water supplies in
the District as shown in Table 2 is a lower figure than that obtained in previous years. A major
proportion of the 'unsatisfactory' and 'suspicious' samples were drawn following completion of
works involving dock development and modernisation of berths to reassess the purity of the
water supplies at these berths. Supply to shipping at these berths was prohibited until such
time as a higher category was obtained.