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Main Drainage.
179
The sludge is taken to sea by the Council's sludge vessels, which are six in number, viz., the
“Barking," “Barrow," “Bazalgette," “Belvedere," “Binnie,“ and “Burns" and each is manned
by a staff of officers and crew numbering 24. Each vessel carries a load of about 1,000 tons. During
the year under review the vessels made 2,580 trips to and from the deposit area in the Black
Deep ; the distance travelled being about 258,000 miles. The vessels are insured for £108,000.
On 5th December, 1899, the Council approved in principle a scheme of main drainage extension
works necessitated by the increasing strain imposed upon the existing system owing to the growth of
the population. This scheme, the estimated cost of which is roughly £3,772,550, comprises the undermentioned
works:—
Main diainageexttosion
scheme.
North of the Themes.
Barking to Old Ford—Two new sewers (Northern outfall sewer enlargement) and extra
works at Barking.
New sewer between high-level and mddle-level sewers (Middle-level sewer No. 2).
New sewer between middle-level and low-level sewers (Northern low-level sewer No. 2).
Extension of middle-level sewer No. 1 to Scrubbs-lane.
Enlargement of the Abbey-mills Pumping Station.
South of the Thames.
New sewer from Crossness to Deptford (Southern outfall sewer No. 2) and extra works
at both stations.
New sewer from Crossness to Catford (Southern high-level sewer No. 2).
New sewer from Deptford to Battersea (Southern low-level sewer No. 2).
Practically all these works are now completed with the exception of the enlargement of the
Abbey-mills pumping station and the construction of the southern low-level sewer No. 2, and sections
3, 4 and 5 of the northern low-level sewer No. 2, and these are in course of execution.
There are certain works which, while not specifically provided for in the scheme, are so closely
connected therewith as practically to form part of it, and although their cost was not included when
the rough estimate of £3,772,500 was prepared, it is anticipated that their inclusion in the scheme will
not cause this estimate to be exceeded. They are (i.) the enlargement of the Crossness pumping station,
roughly estimated to cost £120,000 ; and (ii.) the extension of the southern high-level sewer No. 2 from
Catford to Nunhead.
The necessity for increasing the pumping power at Crossness arises from the fact that in connection
with the main drainage extension scheme, the discharging capacity of the outfall sewers has
been doubled, and when, in times of storm, these sewers are full, the pumping power at the outfall
is quite inadequate. A new engine-house is to be erected, and the tender, amounting to £63,690, submitted
by Dick, Kerr and Co., Ltd., has been accepted for the work. The new engine-house will be
constructed to accommodate eight main driving steam engines and centrifugal pumps, but, in the first
instance, only one half of the machinery, roughly estimated to cost £22,000, will be installed.
The southern high-level sewer No. 2, which was constructed as part of the extension scheme
above mentioned, extends from Catford to Crossness, and its gradient is such that the contents of the
sewer do not have to be pumped. It is now proposed to extend the sewer from Catford to Nunhead
and thus intercept the Effra branch sewer and convey to Crossness sewage from West Norwood,
Dulwich, Peckham Rye, which, under existing conditions, has to be pumped on arrival at the outfall.
The construction of the new length of sewer is being carried out by Messrs. Wm. Underwood and
Bros., at the contract price of £88,398 14s. 9d.
Storm relief
There is no separate system of sewers in Londor for dealing with the surface water apart from
the sewage, but large storm-water sewers have been constructed to relieve the main and intercepting
sewers in times of heavy rainfall, and at various points on both banks of the Thames there are storm
overflows which can be utilised at certain states of the tide. Pumping stations have also been erected
for the sole purpose of pumping storm water into the river and, in addition, arrangements are made
for discharging storm water by means of auxiliary engines at the Western and North Woolwich sewage
pumping stations. The disposal of storm water is a matter to which the Council has given most
careful consideration, and on 16th February, 1904, the Council decided that the time had arrived when
large additional flood-relief works should be undertaken. The undermentioned works are included
in the scheme, and the estimated expenditure involved is £795,000.
North of the Thames.
Storm-relief sewer from Holloway-road to the Thames.
Storm-relief sewer along Stroud-green-road and Tollington-park (Stroud Green and
Hornsey relief sewer).
Extension of the Hackney-wick to Abbey-mills relief sewer.
New sewer from the middle-level sewer No. 1 to the Counter's-creek sewer (North Kensington
relief sewer).
South of the Thames.
New pumping stations, and sewers in connection therewith, in or near Wandsworth and
Southwark. (Falcon Brook pumping station in connection with the Wandsworth and Battersea
relief sewer, and the Shad Thames pumping station in connection with the Bermondsey and
Southwark relief sewer)