[Report 1929] / Monmouthshire County Council.

  • Monmouthshire County Council
Date:
1929
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1929] / Monmouthshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    23/108 (page 21)
    The Urban District Council was urged to repair the damage to the main with as little delay as possible, even if it meant extra expense, as it was pointed out to them that the wells, from which the temporary supply was being taken could not in any way be said to be satisfactory, whilst in the majority of cases obvious sources of pollution existed which could at any time bring about an explosive outbreak of enteric or other intestinal disease. Although the inhabitants had been urged by public notices to boil the water, the carrying out of this in practice is always problematical. All the houses 'which at present are not connected to the town water supply should be so connected, and action should be taken for the closure of these wells. In the Ebbw Yale Urban District the water is taken from two reservoirs situated on the Llangynidr Mountain, and conveyed to the town by cast iron gravitating mains. The water is of a soft character, and is therefore liable to plumbo solvent actions in contact with lead, but it is understood that the use of lead pipes to caiTy the water supply has been almost superseded by galvanised iron, which obviates the risk of contamination from this source. The Chepstow Rural District Council has under consideration a scheme for improving the supply of water for domestic purposes to Devauden and the adjoin- ing district. These districts are on a very high level and for a number of years the inhabitants of the houses around Devauden, and also the school, have been without an adequate supply of water, and it has been necessary to carry water very long distances. Water has also had to be hauled to the school at Devauden for cleaning purposes and for the use of the scholars. Complaints have been made by the Education Committee to the Chepstow Rural District Council. A scheme for the improvement of the water supplj'^ in a portion of the Pontypool Rural District is also under consideration, where a shortage has been felt in the districts surrounding Croesyceilog. RIVERS AND STREAMS. The rivers in the agricultural portion of the County are not seriously pol- luted. The loAver portion of the River Usk is, however, heavily polluted, both by the Afon Lwyd and also by the sewage from the Countj'^ Borough of Newport. The sewage from the County Borough is discharged directly into the river at several points and as the river Usk is tidal this sewag'e matter is carried iip on the in- coming tide for several miles. This state of affairs cannot be altered until the Afon Lwyd, in the first instance has been freed from its present gross pollution, and secondly, the treatment of the sewage from the County Borough area, before its discharge into the river.