Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Limehouse]
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"give the District, a constant supply; and that this Board is
" further of opinion that the time has arrival when the supply of
"water should be no longer in the hands of a private company."
Very strong representations were made to the Company by
the Board and other Local Authorities as to the inconvenience
caused by the partial cessation of the constant service, and the
Company convened a conference for the purpose of considering
whether a plan could be devised when by such inconvenience
could be minimised The Medical Officer represented the
Board at the conference, and the Company's Engineer promised
to endeavour to delay the shutting off until 10 p.m.
The water supply was again very seriously affected in
January and February of the present year in consequence of the
prolonged severe frost, when the supply pipes of most of the
houses in the District were frozen. At the beginning of the
period the Water Company endeavoured to meet the requirements
of the inhabitants by providing stand pipes in the streets,
but these proved altogether inadequate, and on Saturday, the
l6th February, I received a telegram from the Engineer of the
Company, stating that he would be glad if the Board would send
out water carts at the Company's expense for the distribution of
water to residents in the District who most required it. The
necessary arrangements were at once made, and came into operation
on the following day, Sunday, 17th February, and the steps
which had been taken were reported to the Works Committee,
and on their recommendation the Board expressed satisfaction
With the course adopted. The distribution of water was continued
until the 4th March, the cost incurred, and chargeable to
the Company, being £ 112.
CLEANSING GULLEYS.
By Section 16 of the London County Council (General
Powers) Act, 1894, it enacted that "the duty of cleansing
"every grating and gulley in any street communicating with
"any sewer of the Council (except in streets vested in and