30 BURTON WATERS—DRINKING AND: BREWING. 
abominable way it has been used as a main drain by 
huge manufacturing centres, it cannot be considered as in 
any way a Satisfactory one. It would require a most elaborate 
and complete system of filtration to render it fit for general 
drinking purposes, and even after such a treatment, our 
natural feelings would make us look at it with aversion. 
I may, however, say that I do not for one moment 
think that it would be impossible to so arrange filter beds 
that this water might be made into a fairly satisfactory 
drinking supply, but I think the cost of such a treatment 
might be prohibitive. 
2nd. Deep tubes into the water bearing strata below 
the marl would undoubtedly yield a copious supply, if deep 
enough, and this water would be free from organic contam- 
ination, but the composition of such a water would 
probably be somewhat saline, and not that of a high class 
drinking water as it would probably be very hard. 
Neither of these sources commending themselves, we are 
driven to consider the possibility of a supply, as at present, 
from a distance. 
Tubes on the Forest or up the Trent Valley might provide 
a hard water like the present supply, and in any case, without 
going to a considerable distance, only hard waters are 
obtainable. I am, however, of the opinion that if ever 
this question has to be faced, it would be a great mistake 
to economise at the expense of again introducing a hard 
water for general town use, far better spend more and go 
farther a-field, if a good soft water supply can be obtained, 
and, as the average rainfall of this country is equivalent 
to more than 15 tons of water per head daily, there 
certainly ought to be no great difficulty in securing that 
which is so essential. 
When we remember that the greater part of the rural 
population of this country derives its drinking water almost 
exclusively from shallow wells, and that, quoting from the 
