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11
daily allowance of 28.4 gallons per head of the
population—an amount almost identical with that
of 1882, and greatly in excess of what is required.
Of the total supply 9,567,034 gallons from deep
wells in the chalk were of uniformly good quality.
The remainder, 63,314,260 and 71,710,878 gallons,
were drawn from the Lea and the Thames respectively—
rivers from which it appears impossible to
exclude objectionable pollutions. Nevertheless, the
Thames water was during last year of better average
quality than in any year since 1868, with the exception
of the year 1870. Of the water drawn from
the Thames, that of the Chelsea Company was the
best, and that of the West Middlesex Company the
worst. The Lea water was uniformly of better
average quality than that from the Thames, the
New River Company's supply being invariably
superior to that of the East London Company. Of
the deep well waters, that supplied by the Kent
Company was the best.
The temperature of the Thames water, supplied
by five Companies, varied from 37.6° Fahr. in
March to 71.6° Fahr. in July. The temperature of
the Lea water, supplied by two Companies, ranged
from 38.1° Fahr. in March to 68.0° Fahr. in July.
The deep well water of the Kent Company varied
from 38° Fahr. in March to 59.9° Fahr. in June.