§ MR. MONKsaid, he wished to ask the 2135 Vice President of the Privy Council, Whether his attention has been called to the alleged impure state of the River Lea, whence the principal supply of water is drawn by the East London Waterworks Company for the inhabitants of Bow and Stratford; and, if so, whether he has taken, or is prepared to take, any measures to prevent the pollution of the river above the source of such supply?
MR. CORRY,in reply, said, there was no reason to suppose that the water of the River Lea above Enfield was more impure than that of other rivers from which the supply of water for London was derived. From the Report of Mr. Rawlinson, the eminent engineer, who had been appointed by the Privy Council to investigate the condition of the waterworks of the Company at Enfield, it appeared that the water was not exposed to any noxious influence, after passing through the filtering beds of the Company, until its discharge into the private cisterns. The last analysis, he might add, showed that the water was as free from organic matter as that of other Companies. In consequence of complaints which had been made of the insufficient supply of water furnished by the East London Waterworks Company, a letter had been written from the Privy Council Office, calling the attention of the secretary of the Company to the matter, and suggesting that the times of service should be longer and more frequent. But the Privy Council have no power to enforce obedience to these suggestions on such subjects.