View report page

79
FLOODING OF BASEMENTS OF HOUSES : INSUFFICIENCY OF
MAIN SEWERS.
This old standing grievance was brought to the attention of the Council in several of my
reports last year, the number of occasions on which complaints had been received from inhabitants,
consequent on excessive rainfall, being unprecedented. The nuisance arises from the insufficiency
of the Counter's-creek sewer to carry off storm water from the extensive area drained by it, the
pumping station, erected by the County Council, at Lots Road, Chelsea, for the purpose of lifting
the sewage, etc., for immediate discharge into the river, at high water, not having been completed.
The first batch of complaints followed a severe flooding on June 13th, the second, an equally severe
one on July 18th, concerning which I had a letter from a ratepayer residing at St. Mark's Road,
Notting Hill, a frequent sufferer, as follows:—
"On 3rd July, 1901, I received from you a communication that the new station, Lots-road,
would relieve the sewers here. But from time to time I have the same nuisance just as bad if
not worse than ever. It is so bad as to wash up rats and other filth (from the sewer). This I
have to clear away, and still have to pay sewer rates. I must ask you to compensate
me for the work done (in clearing away the filth), and the damage done through the (County)
Council's neglect. I do not think your inspectors have seen a worse case, where the (house)
drains are in order."
After subsidence of the inundation the floor of the entire basement of this particular house
was left an inch deep in mud and other objectionable matters washed up from the sewer.
On 11th August a repetition of the nuisance occurred, consequent on a sudden storm in the
middle of the night; and again on September 4th, after a severe thunderstorm, a similar disaster befell,
unprecedented, whether regard be had to the number of houses invaded or the depth of the inundation.
The sanitary inspectors, who, upon my instructions, made enquiry into the matter, reported that
they had knowledge of 881 houses to which storm water and sewage had found entrance.
On this occasion the largest number of floodings occurred in Holland Ward; 326 houses in
four streets having suffered, including 198 in Holland Road alone. In other Wards the reported
cases were:—Norland, 268 houses in 16 streets; Pembridge 145 in 7 streets; St. Charles 78 in 9
streets; Earl's Court 60 in 3 streets; and Brompton Ward 4 in 2 streets.
Thirty-three houses where laundry work was carried on were invaded by the filthy deluge, whilst
underground bakehouses to the number of 14, were flooded to a depth ranging from a few
inches to 3½ feet. The Bakehouse Sub-Committee of the Public Health Committee had previously
had under consideration applications made by the occupiers of eight of these premises for the
Council's certificate of "suitability" for the purpose; and the Council, upon the recommendation of the
Committee, had conditionally sanctioned the specifications submitted; in five of the cases the
required works of amendment, etc., were in progress at the time. A common-lodging-house at
North Kensington, under the jurisdiction of the County Council, was inundated to the depth of
about 2½ feet, to the great inconvenience of the "drowned-out" guests in the common
"living-room." This house—like many others—had suffered on previous occasions, but never
to the same extent.
It is almost needless to say that I received many complaints, of which the subjoined
letter from an owner of many of the flooded houses may be cited as a specimen:-
"I beg to call your attention to a few but important facts in connection with this constant
flooding; it is not storm water only that enters the houses, but solid sewage is deposited . . .
For instance, I have a house vacant, No. Road. About 19 inches of water invaded the
premises, and, when drained off, through the floor boards and openings, half a cart load of solid
sewage had to be shovelled-up and carted out into the garden, where it now lies for inspection;
the rest is under the flooring, stinking. The boards may be scraped and cleaned to meet the eye,
but the walls remain saturated with sewage. What I particularly desire to call your, attention
to is the awful condition of this and other houses under the floors. I took up some boards and,
of course, found them black with sewage, as was bound to be, and, in common with other houses,
in a stinking condition. I, with workmen at my disposal, have been a fortnight trying to get the
house fit to allow anyone to see it, and habitable, but feel that I am not justified, at present, in
trying to get anyone to live in it. And what of others more helpless, and who are living in the
midst of it ? . . . If the sewage does not happen to shoot up the drain of a favoured house,
it pours through the party walls from the next."
The only consolation I could offer to persons aggrieved, was the hope that when the pumping
station should have been brought into full operation the evil would cease, or at least be largely
mitigated.