HC Deb 23 August 1889 vol 340 cc256-7
MR. O'HANLON (Cavan, E.)

I beg to ask the Solicitor General for Ireland whether complaints have reached him as to the condition of the Water Supply to the City of Derry; whether the Derry Gaol is supplied with the same quality; whether the collecting basin was visited over 10 years ago by the members of the Corporation owing to the number of complaints made at the time; whether Mr. Foster, one of the body, expressed himself in these words, "that the top-dressing in the collecting basin was sufficient to cover six acres of grass land;" whether anything has been done to cleanse this since; and whether the Government will take steps to force the Derry Corporation to give the citizens a purer supply of water?"

MR. MADDEN

No complaints have reached the Government in the matter of the Londonderry city water supply. The prison is supplied with the same water as the city. The Executive sanitary officer is not aware that the collecting basin was visited, as alleged in the third paragraph, nor has he any knowledge of the statement alleged to have been made by Mr. Foster. It appears that every attention is given to prevent in any way contamination of the water, and samples of it are regularly analysed by the city analyst, who reports the results to the Corporation quarterly. In his last Report of analysis made he states that the water in the basins showed a very satisfactory degree of purity, and the quality in the various reservoirs compared very favourably with that of the public supply in many of the large towns. The Prisons Board report that all water used for culinary and drinking purposes in the prison is thoroughly filtered before use.

MR. O'HANLON

From which of the three basins which exist was the sample taken?

MR. MADDEN

I am afraid that my information is not sufficiently minute to enable me to answer that question.

MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)

Did Dr. O'Farrell, in his recent visit to the prison, make any inquiry as to the water supply? because there is no reference to it in his Report.

MR. MADDEN

I am not aware.