§ MR. STAPLETONasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether it is intended to take any steps, under the Metropolis Water Acts, 1852–1872, in consequence of the polluted 526 state of the Water recently supplied by some of the Water Companies?
§ MR. CHICHESTER FORTESCUE, in reply, stated that the examiner appointed under the Act had been instructed to examine, at least once a month, the reservoirs and filtering beds of the water companies, and to report as to the state of the filtration before distribution commenced, and to make a special report whenever there was a necessity for one. In the case referred to by the hon. Member, the examiner had made a special report, which had only been received that day, so that he (Mr. C. Fortescue) had not had time to read it. After considering it, he should be able to decide whether there ought to be further inquiry into the state of the water supply of the companies in question. He might add that the examiner reported that the state of the water was much better at this moment than it had been for some time previously; and that the impurity of the water, such as it was in January, appeared to have been caused partly from the floods of that month and partly by the fact that the companies concerned were carrying on very important works of alteration and improvement, which rendered it difficult for them to carry out for the time the important but slow process of filtration. If the hon. Member liked to move for the special Report, he should be glad to produce it.