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traces of ammonia and organic matter above the works, but not
enough to be injurious, whilst opposite to the works and at all
distances below, in our district, the water was most filthy. On
comparing the water with sewage taken from one of our sewers
by colour tests (nessler, nitrate of silver, &c.), I found that it
contained as much ammonia and chlorine as a mixture of onethird
sewage and two-thirds of distilled water. The Tottenham
effluent differed but very slightly from sewage, so that it was
evident that the treatment of the sewage at the works, except as
regards solid matters, was of very little use. The flushing of the
navigable river {i.e., the cut) was attended with very good results,
and showed that much of the mischief arose from the river not
being a running stream, and from the supply of water being
intercepted higher up the river. As the River Lea Conservancy
Board is not entitled to take more than 5½ million gallons
per day of the water for navigation purposes—and frequently
does not take that amount—whilst the water companies often
took all the rest, it is evident that no sewage effluent should be
allowed to be poured into the river, or rather cut, at Tottenham,
at any rate during the warm weather. The New River Water
Company took this year on an average about 18,000,000 gallons
a day, and the East London about 35,000,000 gallons a day,
making 53,000,000 against the 5½ million gallons taken by the
Conservancy Board. It is therefore very evident, considering
the large amount of evaporation going on and the limited
supply, that a very large proportion of the water below the
Tottenham Sewage outfall must consist of their effluent, and
probably partly of untreated sewage, as I have on several
occasions seen fæcal matter in the river. It must not be
supposed that I mean to state that the Water Companies always
take all the water except 5Ñ millions, as that is not the case,
inasmuch as the East London Company does not usually take
water during times of heavy floods, because the amount of
suspended matter is then very large and would injuriously
effect their reservoirs.