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22
Drainage Work.
The by-laws made by the London County Council under the
Metropolis Management Acts with regard to drainage, and also those
under the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, relating to waterclosets,
etc., are enforced by the Council.
During the year new drains were constructed to 117 new
buildings, and the drains of 16 old buildings were partially or
entirely reconstructed under the supervision of the Officers of the
Health Department.
79 plans of proposed drainage work were deposited in 1951,
as compared with 107 in 1950.
During the year drains were tested by smoke on 94 occasions
and 33 were found defective. The water test was applied on 844
occasions, this being mainly to drains in course of construction.
The frontage drains of 14 premises were constructed or reconstructed.
In 2 cases, the Council carried out drainage works in default
of compliance by the owners with the requirements of notices served
under the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, the cost being
recovered from the respective owners.
No legal proceedings for offences against the Drainage Bylaws
were taken, but cautionary letters were sent in respect of
two cases of failure to give notice of commencement of drainage
works. Under the provisions of the London County Council
(General Powers) Act, 1951, which came into operation on the
1st August, 1951, appeals against acts and decisions of sanitary
authorities in regard to drainage and water closets, which formerly
had to be made to the London County Council, now have to be
made to a court of summary jurisdiction. No such appeal was
made during the year.
Combined Drainage.
Claims were made by the owners of two blocks of houses
drained by combined operations that the combined portions of
the drainage systems were "sewers" repairable by the Council.
In both cases the claim was admitted and the necessary repairs
to the combined drains were carried out by the Council.
The Council also had to carry out further work to a combined
drain liability for which had been previously admitted.
Smoke Nuisances.
During the year a number of complaints were made, alleging
nuisances from smoke, dust, grit, etc., emitted from premises
occupied by various industrial and public utility undertakings in
the Borough. All such complaints were carefully investigated.
The most serious and persistent source of dust and grit
emissions has again been a large gas works. This has been
referred to in previous Annual Reports and is due principally to
the operation of plant of an obsolete type, replacement of which
does not seem likely to take place for a number of years.
Some trouble was also experienced from ash emitted from
the chimneys of an electricity generating station. This was