Report to the General Board of Health on a preliminary inquiry into the sewerage, drainage, and supply of water, and the sanitary condition of the inhabitants of the parish of Alverstoke, in the county of Southampton / by William Ranger, Superintending Inspector.
- William Ranger
- Date:
- 1852
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Report to the General Board of Health on a preliminary inquiry into the sewerage, drainage, and supply of water, and the sanitary condition of the inhabitants of the parish of Alverstoke, in the county of Southampton / by William Ranger, Superintending Inspector. Source: Wellcome Collection.
19/78 (page 17)
![lb will be seen from the above-mentioned circumstances tliat, as far as abundance of supply goes, Gosport need fear no want of water, for tlie yield from one well alone is suf- ficient for a larger population than the town now possesses. In point of quality also Goodeve's or Byles's well, to which '. have just alluded, is much superior to the average, as is also the water from Paddon's well, which is of the same quahty. Of the four springs analysed, three are remarkably soft. The only hard water is that from the old waterworks spring at Forton, which has 21-6 degrees, whereas the other waters have not more than 5 degrees of hardness. Dr. Playfair has stated (Appenchx, page G5) That all the waters ana- lysed were remarkable for the large quantity of alkaline salts contained in them. But although the town is thus abundantly and excel- lently supplied with water, as regards both its quantity and quality, there are still very many of the poorer classes who do not participate in either of these advantages ; for at Gos- port, as in other places similarly situated with regard to their supply of water, it frequently happens that in the most crowded and destitute localities the public pumps are the fewest, and the water supply consequently of the dearest and most inadequate description. But in considering the nature of the present water supply, I should be failing in my duty were I to confine my atten- tion to the question of its domestic and personal uses only. In reporting on tlie condition of the town, it is necessary for me to state, that by the present arrangements no head of water can be obtained for flushing the drains and sewers, or for the extinction of fires. For these pm-poses it is essential to have a constant supply of water at high pressure, and these requirements can never be obtained under the system which now prevails. In dealing with the question of the future and improved water supply of the town, it is necessary to consider the manner in which the Public Health Act contemplates that this should be effected. In the first place, it gives the control of the water supply to the Local Board, who are empowered to take it from any available source within their district, in case there are no works already in existence, and to furnish a su]:)ply of water sufficient for every house in the town, pi'ovided they can do so .at a cost of not more than Id. per liouse a week. It will be seen therefore that the supply, to fulfil the requirements of the Public Health Act, must be not only sheap, but abundant. [78] B](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b20423597_0025.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
