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100
of the affected houses consisted of a ground floor only,
consequently the occupants had to sleep in the rooms that were
flooded with sewage.
About 80 houses were known to be affected in this
particular locality; no doubt there were many others.
The whole of the flooding is directly attributable to the
insufficiency of the outlets of the sewers under the control of the
London County Council. The following is a brief resume of the
several reports presented to your Committee in consequence of
the repeated floodings, and the frequent appeals by your Council
to the London County Council.
During the evening of Sunday, June 30th, 1901, serious
flooding occurred from the over-charged sewer in the neighbourhood
of Loampit Yale. A petition relating to this matter from
the residents and traders in the district was presented to your
Council on July 3rd.
On the 9th July, 1901, the Lewisham Committee considered
a petition from the owners and residents in the affected
locality complaining that the streets were impassable after a
heavy rain, in consequence of the sewers overflowing. A report
was presented to the Committee, stating that the evil arose
through the insufficiency of the London County Council sewers.
A communication was sent to the County Council asking
them to take the necessary steps to remedy the nuisance comcomplained
of. A reply was received from the County Council
stating that the level of certain ventilating and side entrance
shafts had been raised three feet with a view of obviating any
further cause of complaint. Your Committee were informed that
the work executed might have the effect of preventing the overflow
from the street gratings, but would not on the occasion of
heavy rains prevent sewage rising up the water closets of the
houses in the neighbourhood. Further flooding occurred with
the result predicted.