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197
River Pollution.—In the London area, sewage and its
disposal, amounting to a daily dry flow of approximately 300
million gallons, is under the control of the Greater London
Council and after treatment at the northern and southern outfalls
at Beckton and Crossness respectively, the resultant sewage
effluent is discharged into the Thames. It is then considered by
various authorities to be a pollutant and the predominating cause
of complaint.
Although no complaints regarding pollution were made to
this department during the current year, a small number in respect
of smells emanating from the Greater London Council's Southern
Outfall at Crossness were received from residents in the Abbey
Wood area. The matter was raised with that Authority and a
reply indicated that investigations were proceeding to elucidate
the cause.
Having been aware of the shortcomings of its sewage disposal
system for some considerable time, the Greater London Council
(previously as the L.C.C.), in recent years, has sought to improve
the position by instituting new processes and improvements.
During 1965, decisions were taken by the G.L.C. to introduce, at
a cost of approximately £500,000, further aeration plant at the
Southern Outfall Works. A solution to the problem complained
of by the Abbey Wood residents may well lie in the implementation
of these decisions.
Storm Flooding.—There were no instances of damage to
property due to unusually heavy rainfall recorded during the
current year.
River Ravensbourne—Improvement and Jurisdiction.—
Although no complaints of flooding were received during the
year under review, nevertheless, for over a century now at times
of heavy rainfall the Ravensbourne has overflowed its banks to
inundate the proximal areas, some as many as five times a year.
It was for this reason that the River Ravensbourne,
etc. (Improvement and Flood Prevention) Act, 1961, was
introduced to confer like powers on the London and Kent
County Councils for "the improvement and protection of and
the prevention of flooding from the River Ravensbourne and
its tributaries and for purposes connected therewith". In London
it applies not only to the rivers Ravensbourne, Pool, and Quaggy,
the Kid Brook, Kyd Brook and the Lower Kid Brook but also to
the parts of all tributaries, brooks and watercourses (whether open
or covered) that flow into these rivers or streams.