[Report 1949] / Medical Officer of Health, Somerset County Council.

  • Somerset Council
Date:
1949
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1949] / Medical Officer of Health, Somerset County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    47/104 (page 45)
    Compton Duiuloii, Kingwestoii, J^ai'tou St. David, Ivcinion Mainloville, I’oiljcmy mid t'limdtoii Maukrell. The supplies to Somerton and Long Sutton will also he augmented and extensions to Lydi'ord in Shepton Mallet rural and the parishes of Dutleigh and Jjaltonsborough in Wells rural are possible. The implementation of schemes is a slow process and although proposals have been ap])roved respecting snjiplies for the rural districts of Wells, Shepton Mallet and J*'rome it may be several years before many of the parishes, who are in urgent need, receive any water. .\s standards of milk production improve so does the consumption of water increase. The highest jiriority should be given to schemes serving agricultural areas where existing supjilies are inadecpiate and of doubtful ipiality. Milk ot good keeping quality cannot be produced unless there is a suHicient supply of wholesome water. Owing to the prolonged hot and dry peiiod exjierienced during the summer it was found necessary to curtail supplies in the followung areas, particularly in the months August to the end of October:— Urbans—Bridgwater, Glastonbury, Xoiton Eadstock, Shepton Mallet, Taunton, Watchet and Yeovil. Eurals—lEithavon, Long Ashton, Wellington and Yeovil. Shortages were felt in other districts but not to the same extent as in those mentioned. Throughout the County generally the outlook for the future is very favourable respecting the existing and potential sources ot supply. Taking a line north of the Mendip Hills, the Chew Valley reservoir wdien completed will provide a good surplus and act as a safeguard to supplies in the northern zone. From other resources of the Bristol Waterworks Company it wall also be i)Ossible to supple¬ ment supplies to the south of the Mendip Hills in the Wells area. The development of the Ashwick Grove and St. Dunstan's Well sources in the Shepton IMallet rural a]-ea together with the chief existing supplies should ensure a sufficiency for the Shepton Alallet and Frome districts. Wincanton's future needs w'ill be met following the joint scheme with Sherborne Eural District Council. Supplies in the Yeovil area, which has had to find considerable water to meet the demands ot the Forces, will be secured by tbe conqjletion of the impounding reservoir at Sutton Bingham. With the sinking of a further borehole at Combe St. Nicholas together with the waiter that abounds in the Tatworth area, the Chard district including Chard Borough, Crewkerne and Ihninster Urban Disticts should have a sufficient supply. The yield of the boreholes at Compton Durville is considerable and will serve the Langport area and augment the supplies to adjoining districts if found necessary. The population in the ]3ulverton area is widely scattered and local supplies will probably meet all needs. If Taunton Coi'poration’s project to jirovide an impounding reseiwoii' at the head of the Liver Tone in the parish of Clatwoi’lliy matures this will not only meet the future reipiireinents ot the Boi’ougli’s statutory area but will hel[) to augment and safeguard the future needs of the