[Report 1903] / Medical Officer of Health, Portsmouth Borough.

  • Portsmouth (England). Borough Council.
Date:
1903
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1903] / Medical Officer of Health, Portsmouth Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    54/94 (page 50)
    5° conduit running to it from St. Chads’ Well on the north side of the railway. In the banks forming the sides of the spring and conduit are a number of rat holes, and your Committee are of opinion that the channel of the conduit and the sides of the Blue Hole Spring should be formed ol concrete or other impervious material. This suggestion also was made by the Sub-Committee of 1897. Havant These springs were found in good condition, clean Works. and well kept. Here again, however, is a matter calling for attention, namely, the Brockhampton Stream which flows along outside the eastern and southern borders of the works. This stream is grossly polluted by sewage and also offal from the Parchment Works adjoining. The smell from this stream at the time of the Committee’s visit was most offensive. It is true that being at a lower level than the Company’s springs the risk of pollution is very slight, still the close proximity of so foul a stream to the Portsmouth public water supply ought not to be permitted, and steps should be taken to do away with the danger, remote though it appear to be. Sewerage of No report on these Waterworks is complete that Havant. does not point out the danger arising from the lack of an efficient system of sewerage for Havant. In the report on the Works issued by the Local Government Board in August, 1897, considerable stress was laid upon the danger to the water from this state of affiairs. Acting on this report the Water Company, supported by the Portsmouth Corporation, made complaint to the Local Government Board under Sec. 299, Public Health Act, 1875, that the Havant Urban District Council had made default in not providing a proper system of sewerage for that town, the Local Government Board then held an enquiry on the matter, the result of which was that on June 3rd, 1899, the Board issued an Order requiring the Havant Urban District Council to provide a proper system of sewerage within six months of that date. This is now nearly four years ago, and nearly three and a half years have elapsed since the expiration of the period of six months allowed to the Havant Urban District Council in which to complete the sewering of their district. So far, however, no system of sewerage has been installed, and the Order of the Board is apparently ignored.