HH62/2/LINLIT/11

Transcription

[Page] 10

Burgh, which is in great want, - is over 16,000.
Thirty gallons per person would be, roughly,
500,000 gallons as the minimum daily supply.
As it is necessary to keep in mind that we
have an increasing population, the Committee
have felt justified in recommending a scheme for
double this amount, or 1,000,000 gallons daily.
The total cost of such a scheme, including
initial cost of reservoirs and pipes, cost of land,
Parliamentary expenses, and absorption of existing
Special Water Supply Districts, is £48,300, which
it is proposed shall be borrowed by way of
annuity repayable, say, in thirty years. This
means an annual payment of about £3000 a
year. The Committee have applications from
public works to furnish 400,000 gallons daily
per diem for trade purposes, and for which they
expect 4d. per 1000 gallons. This would realize
a revenue of £2000 a year, leaving £1000 to be
rated for. A Public Rate of 1/2d., and a Domestic
Rate of 6d. is calculated to meet this; or a Domestic
Rate of 8d., and no Public Rate at all.

II. POLUTION OF THE RIVER ALMOND.

The Pollutions of the River Almond, and how they may be prevented.
In the month of June, the County Clerk
intimated that arrangements were arrived at
with Mid-Lothian and Lanark, to obtain from
the respective District Committees full and ex-
haustive reports by their Medical Officers and
Sanitary Inspectors on the particular sources of

[Page] 11

pollution of the River Almond in each District
of each County, and of the remedies they would
suggest in each case.
In September I was able to issue my Report,
which was as follows:-

(The annexed Plan is reduced from the Original in
the Report.)

"At the request of the Counties of Edinburgh and
Linlithgow, I have this summer examined the Sources
of Pollution of the River Almond, with the view of
suggesting means of remedy.

The river flows through three Counties. In my
investigation in part of the County of Lanark I was
accompanied by Colonel Menzies of Viewfield; Dr.
McLintock, Medical Officer; and by Mr. Dobson,
Sanitary Inspector. In West Lothian and Mid-Lothian
I was assisted by a report by Mr. Frew, Sanitary
Inspector for the County of Linlithgow, and by
information furnished by the constabulary, through
the kindness of Colonel Borthwick. In Midlothian,
Mr. Lindsay, Sanitary Inspector, visited along with
me most of the places involved in the inquiry.

I have, at the outset, to state that there may be a
number of minor pollutions which have escaped my
notice, and perhaps a few of some importance, but I
have investigated all those I could hear of which
materially contributed to the impurities in the river.
I may here add that I experienced a little difficulty
at some works, from having to search out sources of
pollution which I believed existed, but were denied
by those in charge. It is thus possible that the total
pollutions from several works are understated.