London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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City of London 1970

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]

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The permanent hydrant-pit covers should be watertight and, when the hydrant is being used,
a closely fitting temporary cover should be available to allow lor a standpipe and to shelter the
hydrant-pit.
All hydrant-pits should be effectively drained, rendered with a smooth and light-coloured
surface, and always kept in a clean condition.
The hydrant discharge should always be effectively capped when not in use.
Operation
Connections at the hydrant and on the ship should be supervised by an authorised officer.
Standpipes should be used at the hydrant and hoses kept clear of quay and dock water.
All connections at the ship must be made in order to avoid any possibility of back-syphonage
from the ship installation to the shore mains supply.
In any circumstances where a closed-connection must be made on the ship, an effective
non-return device should be incorporated in the supply equipment to safeguard against backsyphonage.
The water supply equipment should always be adequately flushed through before allowing
the supply to enter the ship's filling lines.
As far as practicable, the supply of fresh water should be supervised by an authorised
person.
Any contaminated equipment should not be used until it has been suitably cleansed.
4. Number and sanitary conditions of water boats and powers of control by the Authority.
There are eleven water boats purveying fresh water to shipping within the District and all are
maintained in a satisfactory sanitary condition. Twenty seven samples were drawn during the
year from tanks, standpipe and delivery hose ends. One sample drawn direct from the tank of one
water boat showeid contamination. The standard procedure of chlorination of the tank was carried
out.
The power to close, or restrict the use of water from a polluted source of supply, contained
in Sections 140 and 141 of the Public Health Act 1936 was assigned to the Authority by the London
Port Health Authority Order 1965.

TABLE 1

FRESH WATER SUPPLY SAMPLES - SUMMARY 1970

HYDRANTSSTAND PIPESDELIVERY HOSE ENDSTOTALS
UnfitUnsat.Suspic.Satis.GoodExcell.UnfitUnsat.Suspic.Satis.GoodExcell.UnfitUnsat.Suspic.Satis.GoodExcell.
Surrey Docks311221845
India and Millwall Docks1382123597
Royal Docks12206216217167
Tilbury Docks213616181267
River Districts1171112344
Medway268
TOTALS13378163131184206711328
Water BargesTANKSSTAND PIPESDELIVERY HOSE ENDS
173111427
GRAND TOTAL355