[Report 1946] / Medical Officer of Health, West Bromwich County Borough.

  • West Bromwich (England). County Borough Council.
Date:
1946
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1946] / Medical Officer of Health, West Bromwich County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    11/34 (page 7)
    The water supply for the areas was generally satisfactory during the year, both in quantity and quality. Seven samples of water taken for bacteriological examination from the piped supply were all satisfactory. One sample of water taken for chemical analysis was satis¬ factory and free from plumbo-solvent action. I wo samples of water obtained from a deep well and submitted for bacteriological examination were unsatisfactory. The well was cleansed and chlorinated, and a further sample taken proved satisfactory. The number of dwelling houses and the population supplied with water from the mains is as under: — Houses. Population. Percentage (a) Direct to houses 18,425 71,978 86.66% (b) Houses sharing standpipes . 1,004 3,811 4.72% (c) Houses sharing common taps 1,811 6,881 8.52% The majority of the houses sharing standpipes are included in the Council’s Slum Clearance Programme. HOUSING In the Annual Reports for 1943, 1944 and 1945, reference was made to the overcrowding and deterioration of the housing conditions in the town. This, of course, is not a state of affairs which is in any way peculiar to* West Bromwich. It is, indeed, a nation-wide problem. Some progress, however, was made in 1946 in the provision of new houses, andi I am indebted) to) the Borough Treasurer1 for1 the following information. 1st January to 31 st December, 1946—New houses occupied. Traditional type 46 B.S.C. 6 Temporary bungalows .. 130 Total . 182 It will be some time before the housing programme makes any obvious impression on the very unsatisfactory conditions under which many people are living at the present time. One cannot but admire the patience and fortitude with which those people living in unsatisfactory environs put up with their lot.