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36
Junction, and Lambeth Companies varied from 41°
Fahr. in February to 68° Fahr. in August. That of
the Lea water delivered by the New River and East
London Companies ranged from 42° Fahr. in
January and February to 67° Fahr. in August.
These objectionable extremes rendered both waters
unpleasantly cold in winter and unpalatably warm
in summer.
Whilst the temperature of the river water ranged
through 27° Fahr., the deep well water, supplied by
the Colne Valley Company, showed a range of 14°,
and that by the Kent Company only 5.4° Fahr.
The average proportion of total solid matters contained
in 100,000 parts by weight of water was
rather less than in the previous year. Much of these
solid matters was entirely harmless when the water
was used for drinking purposes, but decidedly
objectionable when it was used for washing, because
the water was thereby rendered hard. A small proportion
of the solid matters consisted of organic
substances which are always objectionable, and when
present in river water may prove dangerous to
health.
The pollution of the Thames and Lea waters is
to a great extent of animal origin. Although the
Companies deriving their supplies from these rivers