5G KisroiiT — 1877. 



Third Report of the Committee for investigating the Circulation of the 

 Underground Waters in the New Red Sandstone and Permian Forma- 

 tions of England, and the quantity and character of the Water 

 svpplied to various towns and districts from these formations , in- 

 cluding Report on the South-Lancashire Wells, by T. M. Reade. 

 The Committee consisting o/Prof. E. Hull, Rev. H. W. Crosskey, 

 C. E. De Rance, Captain D. Galton, Prof. A. H. Green, Prof. 

 R. Haiikness, H. H. Howell, W. Molyneux, G. H. Morton, 

 T. Mellard Reade, Prof. Prestwich, and W. Whitaicer. 

 Drawn up by C. E. He Rance {Secretary). 



[Plate II.] 



WnEN the Report of your Committee, presented at Glasgow, was written, it 

 was believer! that sufficient information would have been collected this year 

 to enable them to draw up a final Report on the subject of the inquiry with 

 which you entrusted them. 



Your Committee, in the prosecution of their duties, have largely distri- 

 buted the circular form of inquiry ; but they feel, though a large amoimt of 

 valuable information has been obtained through this source, it for the most 

 part only gives to the general public information as to local areas already in 

 the hands of the inhabitants of those districts, and that to collect informa- 

 tion that may be of general value as to the probable depth and quantity 

 of water available in adjoining areas, requires personal examination and 

 study of a trained geologist. 



As far as the time and opportunities of your Committee go, they have 

 endeavoured to carry out such personal examination ; and the results, 

 with those obtained during the coming year, they propose to lay before 

 you at the next Meeting of the Association, should you thiuk fit to 

 reappoint their Committee, Avhich they trust will be the case, as much 

 information is at present promised them, and facilities are more frccl) r 

 given as the existence of the Committee becomes more widely knoAvn. 



In regard to their general fitness for drinking and cooking, the Rivers 

 Pollution Commissioners classify waters in the order of their excellence in 

 respect to wholesomeness and pnlatability as follows : — 



(1 . Spring water. 1 y r , , , , 



2. Deep-well water. J ' • ll 



3. Upland surface water. "1 Moderately 



o . . f 4. Stored rain-water. f palatable. 



* [5. Surface water from cultivated land. ") 



-r. 16. Diver-water which scwasre gets access to. I Palatable. 



Dangerous. ■{ ►, „, ,, ,, , ° ° [ 



b [ i . Shallow well-water. J 



The value of spring and deep-well waters is not merely due to their 

 greater intrinsic chemical purity and palatability, but to their being pecu- 

 liarly suited for domestic supply, from their almost invariable clearness, 

 transparency, and brilliancy, and their uniformity of temperature throughout 

 the year rendering them cool and refreshing in summer, and preventing 

 them readily freezing in winter ; and their utilization and conservation 



