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FLUORIDATION OF PUBLIC WATER SUPPLIES.
The Town Council gave very earnest consideration to this
controversial subject and eventually concurred with the views
of the Metropolitan Water Board that fluoridation should be
postponed until the results of the investigations now being
made are announced, and that if the tests prove favourable no
time should be lost in proceeding with the fluoridation of
public water supplies.
RIVERS AND STREAMS.
The Hogsmill River is the Borough boundary for some two
miles on the eastern side. Now that sewage effluent from Epsom
is no longer discharged into it it has become a sparkling stream
again and small fish which have been absent for many years have
re-appeared.
The River Thames is the northern boundary and whilst there
is no bathing a pleasant riverside promenade gives much pleasure
to many people and boating and yachting are popular pastimes.
SWIMMING BATHS.
Publicly owned bath.
Surbiton Lagoon, situated in Raeburn Avenue, is an open
air pool 165 feet long and 90 feet wide, with a depth of three
to nine feet. There is also a paddling pool for small children.
The water is from Metropolitan Water Board mains and is
treated by continuous pressure sand filtration, sterilisation by
breakpoint chlorination and oxygenation over an ornamental
cascade.
The Borough Engineer reports that the exceptionally fine
weather brought a record attendance, over 200,000 people using
the bath which considerably exceeded the previous highest
attendance of 173,565 in 1934 (the year the Lagoon was opened).
Periodical samples of water are taken by the Borough
Engineer and the plant adjusted as necessary. In addition 31
samples were taken by the Public Health Department for
chemical and bacteriological examination all of which proved to
be satisfactory.
School bath.
One private school has a small swimming bath which is used
only by scholars and staff. Sterilisation is by hand dosing
with chlorine coupled with frequent changes of water. Eight
samples were taken by the Department to ensure adequate
chlorination and fitness for bathing, all of which proved to be
satisfactory.
REFUSE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL.
Refuse and salvage collection is under the control of the
Borough Engineer. The collection was maintained at seven day
intervals except when interfered with by holidays and sickness.
The refuse is transported to a central loading depot in the
Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames, transferred to large
haulage wagons and then moved under contract for disposal into
privately owned pits.
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