HISTORY OF COLCHESTER CORPORATION WATER WORKS 33 
works, probably does not exceed, say, 550,000 gallons, or about 
one-seventh of that percolating into the formation ; consequently 
there is a considerable quantity of water escaping along the 
fringe of this plateau of gravel in the shape of visible and invisible 
springs other than those mentioned, and feeding the rivers 
and streams bounding the gathering ground and ultimately 
finding its way into the river Colne. 
In order to thoroughly and efficiently protect the springs 
from pollution, an area of no less than 29J acres of land has been 
acquired at the back of the springs in a south-westerly direction, 
which is also the direction the underground water is flowing. 
Upon this land, no manure or grazing of cattle is allowed. 
As an additional protection, there is a second zone around each 
spring, enclosed with an unclimbable fence. 
In addition to the precautions mentioned, the springs are 
zealously guarded by Mr. Bland, and the water therefrom is 
examined periodically, both chemically and bacteriologically, 
by the Medical Officer of the Corporation, and I am not aware 
that the health of the town has suffered in any way from the 
adoption of these springs as an auxiliary source of supply. 
My excuse, if any is needed, for writing at length upon these 
interesting springs, is to impress upon communities, both large 
and small, that they may be situated in proximity to a supply of 
water within sight of their doors, and all that is needed to bring 
it into use is a little common sense combined with geological, 
medical, chemical, and engineering skill. Prejudice has existed 
in the past against so-called surface springs, but all water which 
we consume, whether it has been collected from the moors or the 
hillside, and impounded in reservoirs, or taken from rivers and 
stored in storage reservoirs and filtered, or pumped from wells in 
permeable or under impermeable formations, has at one time or 
another been in contact with the surface. Even a well sunk 
into the open chalk is as liable to be polluted by man as a gravel 
supply, if not protected, and especially if the cone of depression 
caused by pumping extends to a distance, as illustrated by those 
interesting experiments with fluorescine lately conducted by 
the Local Government Board at Fulbourne in Cambridgeshire. 
There are some towns so situated along the coast, and par¬ 
ticularly in East Anglia, whose means are not sufficient to go 
