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89
SEWAGE DISPOSAL AND REFUSE COLLECTION
I am indebted to the Borough Engineer, A.P. Holt, Esq.,
A.M. I.C.E., for the following information:-

This was disposed of by Controlled Tipping and two sites
were in use during the year, viz. Ballards School and Mitcham
Common. The former, at present in use, is being levelled for
eventual use as school playing fields.
Sewage Disposal
The sewage of the Borough is dealt with at Beddington and
South Norwood. The Addington area drains into the West Kent
Drainage Board Works and a small part of Upper Norwood into the
L. C. C. system.
The main works at Beddington deals not only with the sewage
from the major part of the Borough, but takes the sewage under
agreement from four outside authorities, viz. Coulsdon and
Purley U.D. C., Caterham and Warlinghain U. D. C. , Banstead U. D. C.,
and Carshalton U. D. C. The sewage flow from an estimated population
of 333,000 is treated at the Beddington Works, the dry
weather flow being about 12 million gallons per day.
The Works include a very modern Sludge Digestion Plant,
from which Methane Gas is evolved as a natural by-product of
the process. This gas is used for generating all the electricity
required for power and lighting of the Works, for maintaining
temperature in the Digestors, and, by compressing it, for use
on vehicles as a fuel in lieu of petrol.
Some 20 vehicles, including part of the fleet of Refuse
Collecting Vehicles, have been running on this gas during 1955,
and by this means about 25,000 gallons of petrol were saved.