View report page

15
The Water Supply of Paddington.
The two Companies that supply this district with
water, derive their supply from the Thames, at Kingston,
where it is found to contain less than 20 grains of solid
matter per gallon, and of late years this has been three
or four grains reduced by better methods of storage
and filtration. In my Report of last year, I mentioned,
that by the Thames Conservancy Board having stringent
power to prevent pollution, and that the Act extended
to the tributaries of the Thames, we have no fear
that the future supply should fail to be pure and
abundant. In the periodical Analysis of the Register
General, Dr. Frankland, has shown that the waters of
the two Companies (the West Middlesex and Grand
Junction Company) which supply Paddington, were
the purest in the metropolis, and this no doubt has
been attained by their improved methods of filtration.
The Constant Water Supply Act, 15 & 1G Vic.
Cap. 84, Sec. 15, contains the following provisions
for constant supply:— "Four-fifths of owners
"and occupiers on one main, must make a requisition
"in writing; one-fifth of the houses on such main
"must be supplied with cocks, &c. for the reception and
"distribution, to the satisfaction of the company."
It is only just that the Company may have the right
to enter, and send their Surveyor to examine pipes and
cocks, and that with the consent of the Board of Trade,
after due notice, where the waste is fraudulently and
wilfully neglected, this may suspend the supply.
The public have, during the last year, again agitated
the question of a constant water supply, and thus seek
for fresh legislation. This appears to be scarcely
necessary. For while no doubt need be entertained
that the present system of storing water in cisterns
placed in situations where pure water is readily defiled