124 ADVANTAGES OF SOFT WATEK. 



I think we are in a position now to summarize the advantages 

 of softened water under three heads — Health, Convenience, and 

 Economy. 



Health. — As to the wholesomeness of water with a hardness of 

 15° before boiling and 5° afterwards, the evidence given before the 

 Royal Commission on Water Supply, 1869, is somewhat conflicting; 

 for while Dr. Letheby considered a moderately hard water, such as 

 Thames water, best suited for drinking purposes and the supply 

 of cities. Dr. Parkes maintained that the amount of hardness 

 should not exceed 10 or 12 degrees if possible. Mr. Simon and 

 Dr. Lyon Playfair, on the other hand, although they did not 

 condemn the London water on account of its hardness, both 

 expressed themselves in favour of a softer water for purposes of 

 health. The inference that may be drawn from this and other 

 evidence would, therefore, appear to be this, that the total hardness 

 of a good water ought not to exceed 15 degrees nor the permanent 

 hardness 5 degrees. The Watford water has much more than this 

 amount of total hardness. 



Convenience. — I think we must all acknowledge the greater 

 convenience of softened water both in washing, laundry, and 

 cooking operations. 



Economy. — With regard to soap the General Board of Health 

 in 1850 issued a report on the Thames water, and among other 

 remarks occurs the following : " That the saving in soap from the 

 use of soft water, in the operation of washing (the expense of 

 washing linen and other clothes being estimated, at an average of 

 1«. per head per week, to be nearly £5,000,000 per annum on the 

 population of the Metropolis), would be probably equivalent to 

 the whole of the money expended at present in water-supply." 

 Of course these figures would come out much larger at the 

 present day. It has been calculated that a saving of Is. %d. 

 in every private family of five persons, and of 6<?. in every working 

 man's family, is effected by the lessened consumption of soap, fuel, 

 and tea, and that for this there would be an increase of \d. per 

 week for water-rate in one case, and \d. per week in the other. 



I will not go further into the practical methods of softening, 

 except to say that there are two systems in use. The first is to 

 let the precipitated chalk subside in tanks as is done in the Colne 

 Valley Waterworks, and in the second, the water is filtered 

 through a continuous band of cloth, which is kept continually 

 worked. The latter, I believe, would be found the most practical 

 for Watford. 



I must express my regret, in conclusion, that the lack of time at 

 my disposal has prevented me from preparing a few simple experi- 

 ments that might have relieved the monotony of the subject. 



