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Many samples of tap water are still below standard but the W.A. is pursuing a very active policy of repairs and replacements. Samples taken near reservoirs have been surprisingly good, although mechanical clorination is not yet in operation.
Milk and Dairying
The position regarding milk supplies is serious as cattle are being milked in filthy sheds and none of the pasteurisation plants are working. The public were warned to boil milk and action is being taken regarding the dairies.
House Cleansing
Approximately 10% of Chinese tenement floors have been cleansed but the Health Section is hampered in this most important work through shortage of materials for lime-washing and kerosene emulsion.
Household Refuse
or,
Garbage cans are almost non-existant and garbage is now dumped on the streets even worse,
on top of building debris and rubble which remain after the removal of blast-walls or bricked-up windows and doors. The empty metal containers formerly used by the poorer classes are no longer available. Many business premises are now used also for domestic purposes as the owners have either lost their houses or are unable to maintain both offices and homes.
Recently more foodstuffs, such as bananas, etc., and sugar cane, have appeared in the Colony and the uneatable portions are thrown on the streets.
In view of the amount of garbage and the inadequacy of transport, it has been found necessary to inaugurate a 24 hour service for refuse removal.
Sanitation
The Public Lavatories were in a deplorable state on arrival but the Works Branch has done excellent work in putting them in order. The necessary repairs to plumbing and drainage were carried out and, in the case of dry latrines, new pans have been installed.
The position in buildings, and houses was equally unsatisfactory, as the auto- matic electric pumps for providing well water for flushing cisterns were missing, damaged or out-of-order. Some most unorthodox methods were used to provide mains water for flush closets.
neglected.
Brackets and
Soil pipes and raih water pipes have been damaged or fastenings are in bad condition and leaking joints cause fouling of walls. Hoppers are filled with rubbish and gutterings are sagging and breeding mosquitoes. Gulley Water seals traps, manhole and inspection chambers are without gratings or covers. are full of silt or otherwise defective. It will be a considerable time before all these defects can be righted.
Unoccupied and damaged houses are most objectionable from the health point of view as refuse is frequently dumped in such premises, In addition, the debris in these buildings frequently covers damaged drains and water pipes and offer ideal breeding places for rats, flies, and mosquitoes.
Conservancy
Dry latrine pans are in a bad state of repair or have been replaced by unsuitable receptacles. Tenders have been asked for 50,000 latrine pans, as these are urgently required. There are insufficient buckets for carrying night soil and not enough junks to"stand-by" at all the former collecting stations. Suggestions have been put forward to remedy these shortages and deficiencies and it is hoped that sufficient latrine pans, carrying pails or buckets and "landing craft" in lieu of junks will
be made available shortly.
Public Bathhouses
None of the Public Bathhouses are working as, apart from the question of equip- ment, there is a shortage of coal.
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