78 Our Water Supply 



From the close of the seventeenth century and 

 onwards to 1855, companies were formed for taking 

 water from the Thames. As late as the beginning of 

 the present century there were eight London water 

 companies, each of which supplied a section of the 

 Metropolis. In 1902 an Act was passed which called 

 the Metropolitan Water Board into existence and 

 brought the water companies to an end. The present 



Thirlmere: before the enlargement of the lake 



Water Board supplies a population of more than 

 7,000,000 persons, and delivers a daily average of 

 224,000,000 gallons. The whole of this water is 

 obtained from the Thames and the Lea, and from 

 various springs and wells in the locality. The water 

 is stored in enormous reservoirs in all parts of the 

 large area served by the Water Board. The water 

 mains have a total length of over 6000 miles, and the 

 water they convey to the vast population is of a very 

 high standard of excellence and purity. 



