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The Council on 6th July, 1920, approved an estimate of £7,000 for the purposes of experiment upon a
larger scale, and it was decided to equip the tanks at the Southern outfall in which lime water used to
be prepared, but which are at present out of use.
Out-county
drainage.
During 1920 the Council considered the contribution paid by the West Ham Corporation in
respect of the drainage of the borough into the Council's system. Under the award, given in 1904,
of the late Sir Hugh Owen, the annual contribution was fixed at 2¼. in the £. on the assessable value of
the borough (excluding government property). In 1904-5, £11,930 was paid by the Corporation,
equivalent to 10.47d. a head of population. In 1920-1 the estimated contribution was £12,850, but
the sum paid for each inhabitant remained stationary at 10.47d. The corresponding figures in
London showed during the same period a large increase, the amount of the main drainage charge
having risen from £510,734 in 1904-5 to £926.898, the amount of rate from 2.98d. to 4.87d. in the £,
and the cost a head from 2s. 3.05d. to 4s. 2.21d. The Corporation drew a large sum in rates upon
the Council's main drainage works, the amount levied in 1920-1 being £34,999 as compared with £10,207
in 1904-5. The borough is divided for drainage purposes by the Victoria and Albert Docks. The
sewage is pumped from the northern area by the Corporation into the Northern outfall sewer, and
from the southern by the Council at its North Woolwich pumping station. Owing to the development
of property, principally in West Ham, it has been necessary, at a heavy cost, to enlarge North
Woolwich pumping station and to lay a new sewer from that station to the Council's Northern outfall.
In view of the additional burdens thrown upon the ratepayers in the area, outside West Ham, served
by its system, the Council decided on 9th November, 1920, to apply to Parliament in the session of
1921 with a view to the revision of the contribution payable by the Corporation.
Applications for permission to drain parts of their respective districts into the Council's system
were made bv the Wemblev and the Bexlev Urban District, Councils hut were refused.
Floodings
in the River
Lee Watershed.
The River Lee Watershed (Flood Prevention) Act, 1920, empowers the Lee Conservancy Board to
prepare a scheme for mitigating the flooding of lands within the watershed of the river and its tributaries.
The cost of preparing a scheme is limited, except with the consent of the Ministry of Health and of the
contributing authorities, to £6,000, and is to be divided equally between the County Councils of London,
Hertford, Essex and Middlesex, and the Corporations of West Ham and the City of London. An engineering
advisory committee has been appointed consisting of the engineers to the contributing authorities
with the engineers to the Metropolitan Water Board, the Lee Conservancy Board, and the Lee Valley
Drainage Commission and the consulting engineer to the Tottenham Urban District Council.