[Report 1959] / Medical Officer of Health, Benfleet U.D.C., Canvey Island U.D.C., Rayleigh U.D.C., Rochford R.D.C. (South East Essex).
- Benfleet (England). Urban District Council.
- Date:
- 1959
Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Credit: [Report 1959] / Medical Officer of Health, Benfleet U.D.C., Canvey Island U.D.C., Rayleigh U.D.C., Rochford R.D.C. (South East Essex). Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![One problem in the supply area is the heavy incidence of external corrosion of iron pipes, caused by electrolytic action and snlphate reducing bacteria in the clays in which the jnjies are laid. All re])orts on laboratory tests during the year have shown that the water from the Com])any’s mains is of normal chemical character and good, bacteriological epiality, and consecpmntly, pare and wholesome and suitable for public supply purposes. A copy of a typical report is shown on Table 3 of the Appendix. The waters in supply are not liable to have any plnmbo-solvent action. Concern about the future ade<piacy of water supplies in Essex, in view of the rapid development, both present and anticipated, was expressed in last year’s report, and in Novemb-'r 1959 the County Council (jueried the sufficiency of supply by the mid 1960s if anticipated develop- ment was pursued. It was reported then that the total daily consumption in the County had risen from 41.v568 million gallons in 1946 to 62.156 million gallons in 1958. Apart from the fact that the natural increase in population has been augmented by much more immigrai:ion into the County, the growing demand for water is due to the modernisation of houses, the provision of piped water supplies to areas not previously supplied, and increased industrial demands by existing users as well as the establishment of new industries, and also its increased use for irrigation purposes. The County Planning Adviser has estimated that the assured dry weather supplies in central, southern and south eastern parts of Essex will be fully taken up by about 1963. Negotiations between the County Council, the Water Under- takers concerned and the Metropolitan Water Board were continuing at the close of the year. Benfleet U.D. It is now estimated that 10,374 or 99.86% of 3.h dwelling houses in the District have a main water supply. In each case the supply is direct to the houses and there are no stand-pipes. The premises which are not connected to the main rely on supplies from rain water tanks or shallow wells. Extensions to the water mains in the District during the year including service and truck mains, totalled 4| miles, and 521 new houses and one existing house were connected to the supply. Canvey Island U.D. A total of 1,875 yards of new mains was laid during the year, partly for new housing development and partly for areas where this amenity had been lacking. In view of the few properties in many of the roads at Canvey it is necessary for the Council, in many cases, to guarantee the Waterworks Company against loss where the potential revenue would be insufficient.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28917200_0015.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
