[Report 1949] / Medical Officer of Health, Witham U.D.C.

  • Witham (England). Urban District Council.
Date:
1949
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1949] / Medical Officer of Health, Witham U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    20/48 (page 18)
    Water Consumption and Future Requirements. Total water supplied by: 1. Braintree Road Waterworks 2. Bradwell Springs: (a) To Silver End (estimated) (b) To remainder of Urban District 3. South Essex Water Company: (a) Direct from Trunk Main (b) From Braintree R.D.C. Main ... 26,206,000 gallons 36,500,000 gallons 36,292,980 gallons 33,734,010 gallons 842,000 gallons Total Consumption 133,574,990 gallons Average consumption per head per day (Domestic demand) 29 54 gallons Average consumption per head per day (Trade demand) 14.91 gallons Average total consumption per head per day ... 43.76 gallons The average consumption per head in the district has increased by approximately 100% during the past twenty years. It is impossible to account accurately for this increase, but it is thought to be due to two main causes: (a) the enlargement and development of the district from 4,348 to over 8,000 population, involving the addition of 1,257 modern houses with bathrooms and other water consuming amenities, including considerable replacement of slum properties by modern Council houses; and (b) the very heavy demands made by local indus¬ try developed during those years. The present figure, though somewhat higher than in surrounding districts, is not regarded as excessive, and is very considerably lower than the average for the Metropolitan Water Board area. In view of the fact that future development of the district will probably be residential/industrial in character, a future demand of 50 gallons per head per day should be anticipated. On such a basis, the Council’s existing supplies and their provisional reservation with the South Essex Water Company will provide for a population of 16,000. There is, therefore, no anxiety concerning the adequacy of supplies for future requirements. —18—