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45
considerably less polluted than that derived from
the Thames, the New River Company's supply being,
as a rule, of superior quality to any of the Thames
waters. The organic matters polluting the Thames
and Lea are, to a great extent, of animal origin.
The best average supplies from the Thames were
delivered by the Chelsea and the Grand Junction
Companies, and the worst by the Southwark
Company.
Dr. Frankland repeats his emphatic commendation
of the deep well waters, the best being that
supplied by the Colne Valley Company. The
natural filtration which the deep well water undergoes
in percolating through great thicknesses of
porous strata renders artificial filtration unnecessary.
Paddington is supplied with water by the Grand
Junction and West Middlesex Companies,which draw
their supplies from the Thames, as do the Chelsea,
the Lambeth, and the Southwark Companies.
For many of the preceding remarks, as well as
for the annexed tables showing the condition of the
London waters, I am indebted to Dr. Frankland's
Annual Report to the Registrar-General.
It is due to the Companies to say that another
picture of the quality of the London waters is