Discussion on Session 4

F. DAWSON, Retired

My early career was with a small undertaking without a chemist. In fact in those days waterworks chemists were a rare breed. Civil engineers carried out the sampling and testing procedures including such simple tests as colour, pH and bacteriology. With this experience at least I can speak a common language with chemists. This has proved to be a valuable asset.

May I now refer to the protection of sources and in the first instance in the underdeveloped world. A company colleague from Newcastle and Gateshead Water Company is involved with WaterAid in Sierra Leone. On his first visit he found several sophisticated water treatment plant of European but not British design. All these plant were completely dependent upon diesel power and all were completely out of action as there were no supplies of diesel fuel available. The schemes designed and installed by Water Aid with local assistance comprised an upland clean source, a pipeline and a well designed collection point. This together with the provision of pit latrines with fly-screens proved a successful answer to the particular problem of protection of a clean source - no treatment plus hygiene.