[Report 1937] / Medical Officer of Health, Somerset County Council.

  • Somerset Council
Date:
1937
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1937] / Medical Officer of Health, Somerset County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    44/66 (page 40)
    WATER SUPPLIES. Progress is still being made in the various parts of the County in .seeing than an adequate and pure water supply is available and the tables following set out the position at the end of the year. Sir William Savage in his Annual Report for 1936 detailed the position in the different districts. Tliis ])rovides a most useful sunuiiary. There arc still parts, however, where the siijijily is inadeipiate, and steps are being taken with the Authorities concerned to improve these conditions. Man} samples have been taken from doubtful well supplies respecting purity and the. evidence obtained is a decisive factor as to whether a scheme is necessary or jiiot. I have visited a number of these areas myself accompanied by the County Sanitary Inspector. A sufficient and wholesome supply throughout the County is essential, and more particularly so as Somerset is so largely concerned with dairying. The considerable increase of designated milk producers in the County .has undoubtedly affected this question of water supplies and as it is necessary to have hygienic conditions where a standard milk is being produced such difficulties as shortage will have to be met. At the moment it would appear that the two rural districts who need water most are Langport and Wells. Considerable diffi¬ culties have been met in the proposed Wells Regional Scheme which was to be the main source of supply for the .parishes requiring water situated in the two districts. It is desirable that any Scheme or Schemes made to supply these poorly watered areas should be completed with all possible speed. In the County Sanitary Inspector’s records of the sanitary circumstances in the different parishes valuable information is contained as to the exact position respecting water supply. The position in the different rural districts at the end of 1937 was as follows:— Areas on a District Basis. Rural District. Estimated Deficiency. Grants payable 1937-38. Future. 1937-38. £ £ £ Bridgwater 3,339 3,105 1,113 Chard 1,800 1,800 600 Clutton 4,700 4,500 1,567 Dulverton 454 300 151 Langport 2,220 3,244 740 Shopton Mallet 705 813 235 Taunton 1,2.57 2,115 419 Wincanton 4,400 5,300 1,466 Yeovil 3,900 4,200 1,300 £22,775 £25,377 £7,591