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34
London is supplied with water by eight Water
Companies—five of which, viz: Chelsea, Lambeth,
West Middlesex, Southwark and the Grand Junction,
take their water from the River Thames;
and three, viz.: East London, New River, and
the Kent Water Works, from other sources.
About 20,000,000 gallons daily are taken from
wells and springs of the chalk strata: and 87,000,000
gallons, "more or less impure water, are derived
from polluted rivers" (to cite Dr. Frankland's
expression). Out of 467,330 tons, nearly one ton
or 208 gallons, are supplied daily to each house;
and 29 gallons for each persons; 24 gallons, or 82
per cent. of the water being used for domestic purposes.
The quantity of sewage pumped out again
into the Thames at Barking and Crossness is
464,295, the outcome of drains closely corresponding
to the intake of water. The Thames water is open to
a grave suspicion. This is natural when we consider
that the sewage of Oxford, Reading, Slough,
Windsor, Eton, and many other towns (which at
present are not submitted to any chemical process
of purification) is passed more or less into the
river. Dr. Frankland, of the College of Chemistry
who makes the monthly analyses for the Reports
of the Registrar General, has continually to condemn
waters supplied to London from the Thames
as unfit for human consumption.
Dr. Letheby, however, objects to the tone of
these reports, characterizing them as highly sensational,
and calculated to mislead public opinion.
The Water Examiner for the Board of Trade, also