238 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



[July, 



SUPPLY OF M'ATER TO THE METROPOLIS. 



Repobt by the Ge^era,l Board of Health on the Supply of Water 

 to the iletropolis. 



Wy. have given at lenijth the recommendations of tlie Commis- 

 sioner?:, as to the plan they propose for adoption; but the report 

 itself requires considerable discussion, which we must, however, 

 defer, our space being otherwise takeu up. 



Quality of the Ti'ater of the River Thames. 



I. That for doniestic use it U luferior to the average quality of unters sapplied to 

 to.vn? 



'2. That its inferiurity as a supply for domestic use arises chiefly from an excess of 

 h^rdoess. 



3. That even when taken above the reach of pollution from the sewers of the metro- 

 polis it contains an excess, varying with the season, of animal and vegetable matter. 



4. That although tliis latter cmse of inftftiority may be In part removt-d or corrt^tied 

 by filtration, the excess of hardness will still remain, rendering this water espetiaily 

 unfit for the following uses — namtly, for cleansing the skin and for ordinary purpoat's of 

 washing, by occasioning an excessive consumption of soap; for the preparation of lea, 

 by occasioning waste to the like extent; and for all culinary processes by diminishing 

 their efficiency and increasing their expense. 



5. That the quality of the water in the river Lea and of the New River is, in this 

 respect, no better than that of the Thames water taken beyond the influence of the 

 sewage of the metropolis. 



6. That the water taken by the I.ambeth Company from the Thames opposite Hunger- 

 ford-market is charged with animal and vegetable Impurities, apparently the effect of 

 the discharge of sev\er water, which render it wholly unfit for use, and highly dangerous 

 to the healtli of tlie persons who drink it. 



r. Thdt of tiie seven principal eompaoiea by which pipe water Is conveyed to the 

 metropolis, four deliver it without previous filtration. 



8. That the delects in the quality of the water at present supplied, when collected in 

 its least objectionable condition, and the evils arising from its distribution in the uuliltered 

 state, are all aggravated by the practice of intermittent distribution. 



y. That the practice of intermittent distribution occasions, in the case of the better 

 description of houses, the retention of the water in cisterns and butts, and in that of the 

 poorest classes, in tubs, pitchers, and such other vessels as can be obtained ; and, as a 

 consequence of such retention, the water imbibes soot and dirt, and absorbs the polluted 

 air of the town, and of the off^ensi^ely close, crowded, and unhealthy localities and rooms 

 in which the poor reside. 



10. That from the inferiority of the water at its source as at present collected, and 

 from the additional pollution and deterioration occasioned by the mode of its distribution, 

 a large proportion of the population is rendered averse to the daily use of water as a 

 beverage, and Is Inclined and almost forced to the use of fermented liquors and ardent 

 spirits to an extent greatly beyond the consumption of such drinks where purer water 

 18 more accessible. 



II. That the annual cost of the construction and maintenance in repair of cisterns 

 and their supports and connected apparatus in the houses of the middle and wca.thier 

 classes often exceeds the annual water-rate. 



V2. The cost of the pipe water supply and the additional expense and Inconvenience 

 resulting from the present mode of its distribution cause the population in some suburban 

 districts to resort for water to open ditches, and in other crowded localities to shallow 

 springs or wells; sources which are subject to increasing pollution from cesspools, from 

 badly constructed house drains and sewers, and from overcrowded graveyards. 



13. That the localisation and intensity of choleia in such distriLts as those alluded to 

 were promoted in a most marked manner by tlie use of water containing decomposing 

 animal and vegetable matter derived from sewers, drains, and other impure sources. 



14. That the districts most severely visited by epidemic cholera, as well as those 

 aflQicted by ordinary epidemic disea-es, are low-lying districts where, from the defective 

 state cf the drainage, there is an excess of damp and of putrid decomposition ; and thai 

 such excess of damp is aggravated by the naste ot water attendant on the intermitteLt 

 mode of supply ; a waste which appears to exceed the whole of the annual rainfall on 

 the inhabited area of the metropolis. 



■ Constant Supply System, 



Many practical difficulties having been urged against the substitution of the constant 

 for the intermittent system of water supply in the metropolis, we have particularly 

 examined into the working of the constant system of towns where it is estabJIshcd, and 

 in some of which it has been in operation for 15 and 2l» years, and we find — 



15. That the waste of water is so far less, insteiid of greater, under the system of 

 constant supply, that although the inhabitants have unlimited command of wat^r, and 

 use what llie>- please, tliough the actual use of water by the inhabitants is greater, the 

 quantity delivered by the companies is less, frequently less by one-half^ in consequence 

 of there being less waste from the more perfect delivery. 



\i\. That the water, under the system of constant supply, is delivered purer and 

 fresher, of a lower temperature in summer, and that it is less sulject to frost in winter. 



17. That the inconvenience apprehended from the interruption of supply during 

 repairs and alterations, are never experienced, the work being executed uu !er such 

 simple precauli«jns that no complaint has ever been known to have been made on this 

 accou n I . 



18. That the intetruptiooa of supply, which are so constantly experienced on the 

 intermittent system from the waste in the lower districts, from the neglect of turncocks, 

 from Umitation of quantity, from inadequate or leaky butts and cisterns, or from 

 deranged balicotks, are scarcely ever known on the constant system. 



ly. That the sybtcm of constant supply admits of great economy in pipes, as they 

 iray, under that system, for the most part, be considerably smaller,Bnd, not beingsubject 

 to the violent hydriuilic jerks of the intermittent system, are less Huble to burst. 



20. That the pipes for the house service may not only be considerably smaller and 

 cheaper, but that the cisterns and apparatus connected therewith, which, in the smaller 

 clflst of houses, iinw cost more than the whole public portion of the trorks, may be 

 entirely dispensed with. 



Quantity reqitisite. 



In respect to the quantity of water actually supplied, and to the quantity needed for 

 the domestic use of the metropolitan population, and for other purposes, we have to 

 report — 



Th-tir. consequence of Statements made by several of the companies of the quantities 

 of wiiter which they pumped for the use of the metropolis, quantities which appeared 

 to be inconsistent with the known habits of the population and the apparent amount of 

 uater consumed for domestic purposes, we deemed It desirably to cause the consumption 

 o' water in dittVrent districts, by different classes of the population, to be gauged from 

 t1 e cisterns and butts, and also the ruu through house'dralns and sewers on days when 

 there was no rainfall. 



F'-oni these observations it appears — 



21. That, whereas it was returned, in \S?>2, that the average quantity of water delivered 

 to their ref pective customers by the several companies was 220 gallons per house or 



tUvelling— and more recently, as returned to u*, was staled to be liJ4 gallons per house 

 or dwelling— that ia, 44.00U,<XI0 gallons per diem for the whole of the metropolis- 

 making allowances for a considerable aud injurious waste of water by permeation through 

 badly cousiructed channels, the rasulls of the gaugings of therun of waier thrcuiih drains 

 and sewfecfl, on days when there ia no rainfall, do not appear materially to differ from the 

 later statements of the several companies as to the quantity of water which is actually 

 pumped into thtir several districts ; while from the gaugings of the quantities of w.itcr 

 consumed from ciitern^ and butts during the Intervals of the Intermittent delivery, and 

 from the capacity of the storage receptacles themselves, it appears that the averagedaily 

 consumption does not exceed five gallons per head on the population, and that, with til 

 allowances for the quantities used for manufactures, steam-eugines, and other purposes, 

 the pross quantity cousuaied does not exceed one-half of the quantity deliver^jd. 



22. 'Ihat this waste is a consequence of the present intermittent mode of supply, and 

 does not take place to any such extent where the constant system of supply has been 

 substituted, and probably may be prevented altogether w^ere the house service pipes are 

 properly (irovideri and arranged under a system of combined works. 



33.^ That this waste, as now ascertained by official investigation, appears to have gone 

 on without any knowledge of its great amount on the part of the companies, although it 

 involves a double expense of pumping, and exceeds, as above-staied, the whole of the 

 annual rainfall on the covered area of the metropolis. 



2-4. That this waste is of no equivalent benefit for the cleansing of house drains and 

 seiv-rs, inasmuch as, from the inaptitude of these works, owing to their bad construction, 

 for the discharge of water containing matter in suspension, accumulations of decomposing 

 matters d(j take place in them to the great injury of the public health ; accumulations 

 which, notwithstanding the flow of the waste water through them, require to be cleared 

 away by hand labour, flushing, or by other means. 



25. That the wastewater, having sewer matter mixed up with it, permeates throuch 

 the brick drains and sewers, saturates the sites of houses with polluted water, and keeps 

 up an excess of moisture which, rising into the porous and absorbent wads and plaster 

 of the houses, contributes to render them damp even In the driest weather. 



26. That this excess of moisture is aggravated by the extremely defective drainage in 

 the low-lying and worst-conditioned districts, where, as has been already stated, epidemic 

 disease is almost invariably present, and where the recent visitation uf epidemic cholera 

 has been the most severe. 



27. That, taking into consideration the actual domestic consumption of water by the 

 popolation of the metropolis, regarding also the extent of the increased supplies needed 

 for the variuuf purposes of sanitary improvement not hitherto contemplated by companies, 

 nor included in new schemes, all the engineering estimates put forward by private 

 companies of the quantity of water required for the service of the population, appear to 

 be greatly in excess, 



2^. That there appears to be no probable demand for a general average consumption of 

 water exceeding the present rate for houses of the higher class— namely, about 75 

 gallons per house per diem; or, in all, 22,000,000 of gallons per diem, inclusive of the 

 increased supply which will be necessary on the abolition of cesspools; and that, esti- 

 mating the additional requirements for baths, for street-cleansing, for large consumers, 

 for fires, and lOr other purposes, the whole quantity of water needed under an improved 

 system of distribution does not exceed 4*1,000,000 of gallons per diem. 



2y. That It appears that the resolutions of parochial meetings and the statements of 

 the promoters of new companies, alleging a deficiency in the total amount of water 

 already introduced, and proposing to bring in additional supplies, have beeen made ia 

 ignorance of the actual present domestic consumpTion of the population, and of what is 

 really needed, according to the best information, for tlie execution of practical measures 

 of sanitary Improvement. 



oO. That the several schemes which propose to bring in more water in addition to the 

 quantity now wasted, and to make such additions mainly from the same sources which 

 supply the water ni^w generally consumed, without reference to improvements in the 

 system of domestic distribution, and without combination with improved drainage. works 

 for the removal of the waste water, would aggravate the existing sanitary evils, and 

 increase the excessive charges alreaily incurred for the defective works constructed in 

 ignorance. 



Flushing System, 



Having particularly examined the statements as to the increased quantities of water 

 required for the flushing of drains and Bewers, and the working of an improved system 

 of drainage, xve find- 

 Si That upon a system of drainage such as that at present In use, con5isting of brick 

 hou^e-drains and sewers, which cause accumulations of decomposing deposits, iliere 

 would be required, for the intermittent removal of those accumulations by flushing, con- 

 siderable additions to the present quantities of pi^e water pumped in for the supply of 

 the metropolis, but that any system of house or main drainage which occasions the 

 accumulation of decomposing refuse, and renders necessary the continuance of the 

 practice of intermittent flushing, is in itself highly injurious to the public health, and 

 ought to be pievented. 



32. That recent trial works have placed beyond doubt the soundness of the conclusion 

 of the Metropolitan Sanitary Commissioners — namely, that systematically adjusted 

 tubular house drains and sewers are kept clear of deposit by the force of the soil or 

 sewer water alone, when conducted away at proper levels ; aud that no addition of water 

 Is rt;quired for tliia purpose. 



Sewerage of the Metropolis. 



With reference to those extensive districts of the metropolis the levels of witlcli are 

 below high-water mark, where the sewer water is at present panned up until It con be 

 discharged at low water, and where pulrpfying dejjosit 1* accumulated in the sewers in 

 consequence of the flow being arrested during high water, it appears — 



33. That it will require no addition of water, and certainly no increased expense in 

 pumping, to cause such a continuous flow cf the waste water as will prevent deposit; snrl 

 that this prevention of deposit is the true object to be aimed ot, and not the supjily of 

 additional quantities of water to remove, by flushing, deposit which osght not to have 

 been allowed to accumulate. 



34. That besides the great injury to the public health from the ponding up of Fewer 

 water and the consequent conversion of large expansive sewers and reserx'oirs ii.l(( ex- 

 tended cesspools ; and, besides the waste of water and the expense of pumping it into 

 the district for ihe removal of accumulations, the intermittent system ot drLinii'n the 

 districts below high-water mark by gravitation, without the aid of pumping for thtir 

 relief, must necessitate the continued pollution of the Thames, and obstruct or delay 

 the application of the refuse as manure. 



35 That, except in extreme cases of absolute deficiency, the pumping in of additional 

 supplies of water, be'bre properly constructed house drains are laid down for its removal, 

 would, by increasing damp, still further deteriorate the sanitary condition of the popu- 

 lation, and occasion still greater dilapidations and injury to tenements. 



36. That the separ.itiou of works of pipewater supply from those for the removal of 

 waste water occasions delay in the execution of works of primary importance for i^aoi- 

 tary improvements, as well as increased expense. 



:;7. '1 bat it appears that while the expense of eewers and drains ia reduced by an im- 

 proved tubular system or drainage, the expense of earth-work, of digging, and making 

 (lijod, is one half of the total expense, and that, therefore, the sepjirate biyii.g down ot 

 wAtermains and drainage mains must frequently cause this last portion of the expense to 

 be materially increased. 



38. That on these grounds, and on the principles already recognised, the only way of 

 securing systemaUc works with economy and eAcleocy, as well as with tb« least delay. 



