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134
On the other hand the deep well waters invariably
contain much less organic impurity, as they are
filtered through porous strata of considerable thickness,
instead of through a few feet of sand.
The importance of organic impurity depends upon
its origin. Seeing that the rivers Thames and Lea,
though pure at their source, receive (especially in the
winter months) in their downward course the sewage of
towns and the washings of cultivated land, which may at
any time contain matter capable of producing zymotic
disease, the efforts of the Water Companies to prevent
morbific matter reaching the consumer should be
supplemented by the enforcement of the laws prohibiting
the discharge of sewage into the Thames and
Lea.
Of the deep well waters, that supplied by the
Kent Company contained least organic matter, whilst
of the river waters the New River Company's was the
best in this respect; the East London Company's
water ranking with the best of the Thames waters.
Paddington is supplied with water by the Grand
Junction and West Middlesex Companies, which draw
their supplies from the Thames, as do also the Chelsea,
the Lambeth, and the Southwark Companies. To
Dr. Frankland's Annual Report to the RegistrarGeneral
I am indebted for many of the preceding