HH62/1/FIFE/7

Transcription

[page] 6

contained suspicious ingredients, pointing to the near proximity of
dangerous pollutions, which should be removed before the water could
be considered safe for domestic use.
I refer specially to this case to show that if we follow the Public
Health Act, and shut up wells, a Local Authority seems to have no
direct power to deal with an insanitary condition produced by an
impure water supply. Certainly Local Authority might proceed
under Section 89, Sub-Section 1; but, as the expense falls to be paid out
of the general assessment, this method is rarely adopted. Of course,
the best method for a case like this is the formation of a Special Water
District, and it appears that it would be quite competent for any ten
inhabitants, of the District of the Local Authority, to present the usual
requisition. This appears to me to be a procedure which should be
adopted in this and other cases.
There is another difficulty in connection with the water supply, which
presented itself in the case of Crossgates. Here the water is supplied
by gravitation, and is both of a very indifferent quality and of insuf-
ficient quantity. During the drought of this last summer the supply
was within 2 days of being exhausted, when the rain came and removed
the grave danger of a water famine in Crossgates. The assessment for
water alone has reached the maximum in this Special Water District, and
the difficulty arises from the fact, as no more money can be spent either
on water supply or in improving the deplorable insanitary condition of
Crossgates from want of drainage.
To meet this difficulty, by diminishing the water assessment, so as
to leave a surplus, either for improving the water supply or constructing
sewers, it was resolved to adopt the Act of 1891, an Act to amend the
Public Health (Scotland) Acts. The main provisions of this Act are
of general importance, and I therefore quote them:-

(1) It shall be lawful for the County Council, and they are hereby authorised
and required, once in every year, to impose and levy an assessment (to be called
the Domestic Water Rate) upon all lands and heritages within the district,
which shall have been supplied with water by the District Committee as Local
Authority, at such rate in the pound as shall be sufficient, when supplemented
by the Public Water Rate, if any, to defray the expenses hereinbefore men-
tioned.
(2) It shall be lawful for the County Council, and they are hereby authorised,
once in every year, to impose and levy an assessment (to be called the Public
Water Rate) if they shall think fit, upon all lands and heritages within the
district, but such rate, if imposed, shall not exceed threepence in the pound, and
may be such less amount as the County Council may from time to time determine.

The practical benefit to follow the adoption of this Act, in places
where the maximum assessment has been reached, will be to allow an
assessment of threepence per pound to be devoted to other sanitary
purposes within the District.
In Dunfernline District there are 9 Special Water Districts, and
the quality and quantity of the water are excellent, with the exception
of Crossgates. In the case Aberdour Special Water District there
has been irregularity of supply, but means are being adopted to over-
come this.
In Kirkcaldy District I have presented no special report dealing

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with water supply, but have referred to any defective water supply in
connection with the reports on other insanitary conditions. Upon the
whole, the water supply of the district is good; but there are many
villages which are supplied with water from wells in the usual dangerous
proximity to sources of pollution. It is desirable to report in connec-
tion with water supply, that Kirkcaldy District Committee had to raise
an action in the Sheriff Court to enforce the Rosewell Gas Coal Com-
pany to supply - amongst other things - to their tenants at Rosewell,
Flockhouse, and Westfield, a sufficient provision of water. In the first
two places the necessary steps have been taken to improve the water
supply; but in the case of Westfield, the Rosewell Coal Company have
appealed against the decision of the Sheriff, that they were responsible
for the insanitary conditions there, holding that the proprietors were the
authors of the nuisance - under the common law obligation - to keep
their premises in a good condition, structurally.
A serious difficulty in the parish of Wemyss has arisen, from the fact
that the water supply for the parish of Wemyss has been considered and
treated as in a Special Water District, whereas only a small portion
actually is a Special Water Supply District. A very serious question as
to the assessment has thus been raised, and the opinion of counsel
is to be taken on the matter. From this complication, the proposal to
obtain a Provisional Order for the extension of the Wemyss Water
Scheme has been abandoned in the meantime. The districts supplied
by this scheme were beginning to feel the necessity for a more abundant
water service, and the turn events have been taken is much to be regretted
in consequence.
There are Special Water Districts at Kinglassie, Thornton, and
Coaltown of Balgonie. Where there are faulty water supplies will be re-
ferred to under the District Report.
In Cupar District a report was forwarded to the District Committee
in regard to the water supply of Kettlebridge, pointing out that the water
was derived from the shallow wells with loosely built walls, and without
any means having been adopted to keep out impurities, such as from
pigstyes and ashpits, which were in close proximity. As there is no
proper drainage system in the village, slop water and soakages from
surface pollution are most liable to find entrance into the wells. The
report also pointed out that the inhabitants of the village were in the
habit of using the water of a burn which runs through the village, and
into which, whatever drainage there is in the village, find its way into
the burn. In fact, the drainage from a slaughter-house could be traced
into this burn. This report suggested the necessity of a supply of
water by gravitation for the village.
In another report the water supply of Strathmiglo was dealt with;
and it was pointed out that the inhabitants were using water from
shallow wells in close proximity to dwelling-houses, and to the roughly
laid gutters which are the only means of drainage for the village.
The principal well in the village stands in the street, with houses
on two sides, and within a few feet of its sides: the gutter, carrying
away the slop water and street washings, run past the well. It
need not surprise anyone to hear that analyses of these wells showed