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INTRODUCTORY NOTE
With the quarter presently under report we commence the third year during
which systematic analyses of the pipes water supplies in the Madras Presidency
have been carried out. Varying meteorological conditions will doubtless give
r i s e
to varying results with the same water-supply at corresponding parts of the three
years, but in time the variations due to this cause will disappear and it may then
be possible to define what is attainable by good management, and to fix standards.
of purity applicable to this part of India.
Trichinopoly.—The
River Cauvery is usually in flood at this season and the raw
river water is therefore impure. Passage through the Infiltration Gallery has
always brought about improvement, but part of this improvement is shown by the
chemical analyses to be due to admixture with a harder subsoil water. The water
as distributed was not so good as that at the head works in 1908 and 1909, but in
1910 there was a distinct improvement, so that the improved results got last year
at the head works are now found in the water of the distributary system. This
indicates progress.
Tanjore.—With quite similar meteorological conditions in the three years
Tanjore has not maintained in 1910 the improvement noted in 1909 over 1908.
The infiltration Gallery was working well but a most marked deterioration of the.
water resulted from. passage through the pipes. Efforts should be made to prevent
this Chemically the water was as usual very fair.
Madras.—This
year the samples were collected rather earlier in the year and
there had been considerably less rain. Possibly on account of this the water of the
Red Hills Lake was in much better order. The water as distributed continued to
be satisfactory so that, on the whole, progress has been made.
Adóni.—Adóni's
progress appears to be downwards. Possibly as a result of
the adverse criticism in 1908, there was noted a considerable improvement in 1909.
In 1910 the water was even worse than in 1908, and was in a thoroughly unsatis
- f a c t o r y c o n d i t i o n .
Cuddapah.—With
approximately the same amount of rainfall in the two years
(the works were not complete in 1908), the results got in 1910 were astonishingly
bad. If these cannot be improved on, the outlook is serious. In 1909 the water,
though not much to boast about, was very much better, and it should surely be
possible to maintain this standard of purity.
Guntúr.—The
progress made by Guntúr, if any, is exceedingly slow. Most of
the bad points noted in previous years are still in evidence. Action of some sort
is very necessary.
Bezwada.—This
water-supply is a new one. So no comparative results are
available. It is to be hoped that this year's results will be maintained as regards
the headworks, and that the results got with the water from the distributary system
will be improved upon in subsequent years.
Coonoor .—As judged by the results got in the corresponding quarters of the
three years Coonoor water shows little tendency to improve. This is a pity as
there seems no reason why a constant and consistently good supply should not be
attainable.
Ootacamund.—It is difficult to draw comparisons with regard to the Ootacamund
supply, the sources are so numerous and at this season one or other has always given
very bad results. This year it was the Old ,Ooty Cistern, in previous years Marli-
mund supply . had to be condemned. The latter is better this year, but something
radical is probably required before consistently better results can be expected. 3 2