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21
SECTION III.
General Sanitary Matters.
Water Supply.
The water supply for the District is obtained through iron service
pipes from the South West Suburban Water Company, which supplies
all houses—except a few in the isolated parts of the District. The
supply is nearly a constant one, so that the use of cisterns is not
required.
Moreover, the water is of very pure quality and may be safely
used for drinking purposes without previous filtration or boiling.
Broadly speaking, any water that requires filtration after it has
reached the premises is unfit for drinking. Domestic filtration of
water is impracticable, it more often pollutes the water than purifies it.
Especially is this the case when charcoal filters are used.
They require the most constant supervision to ensure cleanlines
since the pores of the charcoal become clogged with all the decomposing
suspended matters of the water which is passed through.
It has been proved that water after it has passed through such
filters often contains more organic matter than it did before filtration.
Only recently I had occasion to attend professionally a family for
sore throats, and gastro intestinal disturbance, the source of which was
clearly proved to be contamination of the drinking water by
"filtration" through a charcoal filter. The carbon of the filter was in
a very foul condition. It had not been removed since purchase, and
had been in use for some considerable time. The only safe way to
render a suspicious water potable is to boil it.
Analyst's Certificate of Public Water Supply.
"The West-End Pathological Laboratory,
"55, Weymouth Street,
"London, W.
"Report on a Specimen of Water
("Hygienic, Chemical and Bacteriological)
"To Dr. J. D. Windle,
"Medical Officer of Health,
"Southall-Norwood Urban District Council.
"Chemically and bacteriologically this water has revealed itself
to be an exceptionally pure water free from any element of suspicion
whatever.
"The number of organisms capable of growing on faintly alkaline
10 per cent. nutreul gelatine was only 1580 per cubic centimetre, and