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(b) Shipping-
Ships not able to obtain water from the shore supplies indicated above, or ships lying at
buoys in the river, can obtain supplies from water barges. Shipping at the Isle of Grain and
Tower Wharf obtain their supplies from The Medway Water Board and at Sheerness from the Sheerness
Harbour Estate.
2. Reports of tests for contamination.
The bacteriological examination of fresh water samples is carried out by St. Andrew's Hospital,
Bow for the dock area and River districts on the North bank and by the Devonport Pathological
Laboratory, Greenwich, for the dock areas and River districts on the South bank, while
the Public Health Laboratory at Maidstone examines samples from the Medway area.
There were four reports of contamination in samples drawn from hydrants during the year
which were discovered as a result of routine sampling. In each case the supply of water to
shipping was withheld until a potable standard was achieved. There were four reports of contamination
in samples derived from standpipes and twenty four reports of contamination in samples
drawn from the ends of delivery hoses used to supply ships. The cause of the contamination of
standpipes and supply hoses, which was also discovered during the course of routine sampling,
was investigated as a matter of normal procedure. No attributable cause was discovered and it
was assumed that the contamination had been introduced through unhygienic handling of the
watering equipment. No ship was supplied with "unfit" water.
There were thirty five 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 supplyto these taps is derived from "domestic fresh water storage" contained in double
bottoms and peak tanks. One sample of fresh water drawn directly from a storage tank was found to
be unfit for drinking. The possible sources of contamination in the cases of the domestic supply
were investigated. The most likely causes were considered to be the possible introduction of
contaminated water or the incorrect use of engineroom pumps used in the filling or topping up of
the fresh water gravity feed tanks or the transfer of fresh water for the purpose of adjusting the
stability or the trim of the ship. In each case the standard practice of cleaning followed by
chlorination of the tanks and supply lines was adopted.
Due regard is paid to the co-operation this Authority has received from other United Kingdom
and Continental Ports through the interchange of adverse fresh water sampling reports in respect
of those ships where some degree of contamination in the fresh water on board was discovered
subsequent to departure for another United Kingdom or Continental Port. This interchange of
information enables follow-up visits to be made by the Port Health Authorities concerned and
enables remedial measures to be taken before the ship sails.
The 90.72% of "satisfactory", "good", and "excellent" results in the fresh water supplied
in the District as shown in Table 2 compares well with the percentage figure obtained in previous
years. The number of "unfit", "unsatisfactory" and "suspicious" samples, however, indicates
the importance of continual checks on the fresh water supplies to shipping.
3. Precautions taken against contamination of hydrants and hosepipes.
The supply of fresh water from shore to ships
CODE OF PRACTICE
Equipment
All components should be kept clean and maintained exclusively for this purpose.
Equipment should be kept in a properly appointed store and transported to and from the
watering point in a suitable and covered truck.
No equipmentother than that especially provided for this purpose should be used for supplying
fresh water.
All hoses should be lined with rubber internally.
Every precaution should be taken to preserve the clean condition of the hose during the
watering operation.
Those components taken to the watering point and not required should be left in the truck.
Watering Points
These points should be clearly identified by a number at the site and the hydrant-pit cover
given a durable and conspicuous coat of paint.
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