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141
sanitary authority. Some authorities, on the other hand, have
expended large sums of money in the repair, as sewers, of
combined systems of drainage. With the view to facilitate
inquiries as to whether any such system had been sanctioned
by the late Commissioners of Sewers, the predecesors to the
vestries, &c., and so to settle, as far as practicable, whether it
constitutes a " sewer " repairable by the sanitary authority, or
is a combined " drain " repairable by the owner or owners of
the houses drained thereby, the sanitary committee, upon my
advice, resolved, in July, 1898, to obtain an abstract of the
records of the Commissioners relating to this parish. The
abstract has proved of great service, by saving the labour of a
search at Spring Gardens upon each occasion of dispute; and it
has already far more than repaid the cost of its preparation, by
throwing upon owners the responsibility for repairs, or reconstruction,
of combined drains which, without the information
afforded by it, would have devolved upon the sanitary authority
the duty of repairing them as a sewer.
INSUFFICIENCY OF THE MAIN SEWERS.
I had occasion to report floodings of the basements of
many houses in the parish on the occurrence of severe storms
in the week ended July 1st, and again in September (vide
seventh and ninth monthly reports, pages 75 and 99;. The
inundations were not to the same extent as on a previous notable
occasion in October, 1898.* The attention of the County
Council was at that date urgently directed to the matter with the
view to expedite the commencement of the works at Lot's Road,
Chelsea, designed to prevent the recurrence of floodings. The
nuisance is due to the insufficiency of the main sewers, more
particularly the Counter's-creek sewer, to carry off stormwater.
It has been the subject of complaint during many
years; and it is really surprising with what patience people
have borne the recurrence of an infliction than which one can
*See Annual Report of Medical Officer of Health for 1898, page 129.