The question of the water supply of the town of Stratford-on-Avon has for years past presented many difficulties. The town is situated on the uppermost beds of the Upper Keuper Marls, and the water derived from the wells sunk in these gypseous marls, or from the alluvial gravel of the river valley, contains an amount of solids equal to about 170 grains per gallon, of which about 125 grains consist of calcium sulphate. Up to a very few years ago this intensely hard water was alone available for domestic and manufacturing purposes, but the main supply of the town is now derived from catchment basins and reservoirs at Snitterfield on the adjoining hills about four miles north of Stratford. In years of average rainfall a fair supply of moderately soft water is obtained from this source, but it is one which, as regards organic impurity, bears unmistakable signs of its surface origin, and during dry seasons the town supply has to be supplemented with the hard well-water I have already referred to.