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- 12 -
THE GENERAL DRAINAGE AND SEWER SYSTEM
The drainage system in the Metropolitan Boroughs is a combined
one whereby surface water and foul water both enter the same sewers. In
most cases houses are connected direct to borough council sewers, and
these in turn discharge into the London County Council main sewers. In
a few cases, where local sewers do not exist, house connections are taken
direct into the main sewers.
Flooding
On Friday evening, 7th June, 1963, a storm broke over Kensington
and continued for nearly two hours. The rainfall was very heavy and the
London County Council rain gauge at Campden Hill recorded .40 inches in
five minutes and 1.8 inches in forty-five minutes. The rain gauge at
Wormwood Scrubs indicated that the fall there was lighter, i.e. 1 inch in
forty minutes and 1.10 inches in ninety minutes.
The intensity of .40 inches in five minutes was probably too
short in duration to cause surcharging of the main sewers, but could have
caused overloading of the normal house drains, giving rise to flooding.
This is shown by the pattern of the flooding reports which includes many
isolated houses. The fall of 1.8 inches in forty-five minutes would be
enough to cause surcharging of some of the main sewers.
So far as was ascertained, 154 properties were flooded, 86 in
the area served by the London County Council Counters Creek sewer, and
68 in the remainder of the borough.
Of the 68 properties in South Kensington, few were affected in
1960. The isolated nature of the flooding in this area suggests that it
was more likely to have been caused by the .40 inches in five minutes
intensity overloading the house drains. Some flooding may have been due
to surface water flowing over the ground into basement areas.
The improvement made by the County Council's new pumping
station in Holland Gardens resulted in no reports being received of
flooding of houses draining into sewers served by this station.
Extra drivers and workmen worked throughout the week-end to
give assistance where required. The gully machines dealt with 36 premises.
Some 349 articles of soft furnishings and carpets were collected
from 111 premises, dried at the public baths and returned to their owners.
In addition items damaged beyond repair were collected from 72 premises
and taken to Chelsea Wharf for disposal. Disinfectant was also delivered
to numerous premises.
The laundry at the public baths was used to receive soaked
carpets, and on Saturday, 8th June, staff off duty were called in and
carpets were hose-cleaned, disinfected and dried. The staff worked
throughout the week-end and shifts of stokers were required during the
nights to raise steam for the drying rails.
Normal service at the public laundry was restored on Thursday,
13th June, 1963.
The sewer gang of four men and twelve contractor's men worked
throughout the week-end clearing outlet drains in private premises, road
gullies and attending to other drainage problems.
The records from 1928 show that, under certain heavy storm
conditions, about 1,100 basements have been at different times subject
to flooding in Kensington. It is to eliminate this surcharge in North
Kensington that relief sewers are now being provided by both this Council
and the London County Council. No relief sewer of this nature has so far
been proposed for South Kensington, and the London County Council have
been asked to give consideration to this question.