64 report — 1877. 



of one of the shallow wells of Birmingham. An examination of the analyses 

 of eighty-seven samples of these waters made by the Rivera Pollution Com- 

 mission shows, in the high figures of the column of previous sewerage or 

 animal contamination, how largely sewers and cesspools contribute to the 

 contents of these wells. 



The preceding Table of the composition of waters from shallow wells in 

 the New Red Sandstone is compiled from the sixth Ecport of the Rivers 

 Pollution Commission. 



The pollution of these wells is easily understood when it is remembered 

 that in most of the villages and in many of the smaller towns the water- 

 supply is obtained, and the sewerage disposed, by digging two holes in the 

 cottage garden, often within a few feet of each other, into the shallower of 

 which the refuse of the cottage is discharged, and out of the deeper of which 

 the water-supply is pumped from a porous soil, which soon gets replenished 

 from the soakage of the soil lying beneath and around the shallower cesspool. 

 The dangerous and disgusting liquids making their way into the well, after 

 passing through a foot of porous soil, are sufficiently deodorized as to not 

 impair the palatability of the water ; and such polluted waters are drank for 

 years, until an outbreak of epidemic disease calls attention to them. 



At least 12 millions of the British population obtain their water-supply 

 from shallow wells of this class. 



In regard to village water-supply, the evidenco of Mr. James Caird, C.B., 

 one of the Inclosure Commissioners, examined by the Chairman of the Select 

 Committee of the House of Lords on Improvement of Land (Minutes of 

 Evidence, 2nd May aud 24th June, 1873, pp. 42 and 348), is of importance, 

 as he states that both he and bis colleagues, Messrs. Darby and Ridley, consider 

 " that in the case of charges for the supply of water to a village for sanitary 

 purposes it would be very advantageous, where the village belongs to an 

 estate, that it should be included in the objects of the loan, the improvement 

 being one that is for the convenience of the agricultural labourers resident 

 on the estate ; " and Mr. Ridley further suggests " that in any Sanitary Act 

 that may be passed, a provision of that kind should be inserted, making the 

 providing of water an improvement under the Act of 1864." 



It was suggested in 1865 to the Rivers Pollution Commissioners by the 

 late Sir George Grey, then Secretary of State, that they should endeavour, if 

 possible, to carry out the suggestions of Mr. Charles Ncate, M.P., that they 

 should inquire " how far the general level of springs in the country has been 

 lowered " by agricultural drainage ; " how far it depends upon the height at 

 which water is maintained in the neighbouring river, and what is the 

 number of springs that have altogether failed, or at least that fail during the 

 summer." This inquiry they do not appear to have been able to carry out, 

 possibly from a belief that springs that would be affected by local drainage 

 would be subject to surface-pollution, and consequently be of no value as a 

 source of water-supply. But when it is remembered that many deep-seated 

 springs derive their supply from distant outcrops, often of an exceedingly 

 porous and permeable character, the question of cutting off the available 

 rainfall by means of intercepting drains becomes one of great importance ; 

 and your Committee intend inserting a clause in their forms of inquiry in 

 the hope of elicitating information on this point. 



Through increase of population and manufacturing requirements, the 

 quantity of water annually consumed in England is steadily increasing, 

 while the number of available sources of supply being necessarily limited, 

 the competition for the possession of suitable water-bearing areas, especially 



