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54
at the South Norwood Sewage Farm. Prior to that it runs through
Beckenham golf course, originating in the Shirley area.
The River Quaggy comes in through Sundridge Park to the
borough boundary about a quarter of a mile south east of Grove Park
Station. It flows through the Chinbrook Meadows recreation ground,
passes under Marvels Lane and goes out of the borough at Grove Park
hospital. It then goes through Mottingham and part of Eltham,
re-entering the borough boundary at Lee Green just north of Lee High
Road, in Lee Road. It then flows through the Manor House gardens,
then between Leahurst Road and Manor Park and then between Gilmore
Road and Lee High Road, joining the Ravensbourne as indicated
above near Lewisham Junction Station.
The streams in the borough were surveyed by the district sanitary
inspectors, particularly with regard to points of pollution, and also to
map other entries to the streams, such as clean surface water drains or
sewers, or drainage of adjoining land.
Samples of water have been taken from the rivers and submitted
for analysis. Since the cleanliness or otherwise of the rivers in the
borough also depends to a great extent on the cleanliness or pollution
of the water as it enters the borough, specimens were also obtained from
certain points in the rivers before they reached the borough boundary.
In the annual report of the medical officer of health for 1903 it was
reported that because of suspected pollution, samples had been collected
for examination at various points outside the borough, several of these
samples being taken in the Borough of Beckenham. No information was
available with regard to the weather conditions which prevailed when
these samples were taken and heavy rain or drought would have had a
marked effect on the results. With the cooperation of the Beckenham
health department, samples were taken during April, 1953 from
approximately the same places. There proved to be a remarkable
similarity between the results obtained from the samples taken in 1953
and those taken 50 years previously. Apart from that the River Quaggy
at Lee Road was found to have a high chlorine content and the River
Ravensbourne at its exit from the borough to have a high nitrous
nitrogen content. Local pollution is probably indicated in these two
cases and further investigation will be required both there and at other
known points of local pollution.
The River Pool at the Southend boundary, both now and 50 years
ago, shows evidence of much contamination. It appears that the bad
effect of the Croydon sewage effluent is still very marked when the
Pool enter the borough boundary, and some further action will no doubt
be required.
Drainage work
In accordance with the requirements of the Public Health (London)
Act and the byelaws made by the London County Council, every person
about to construct, reconstruct, or alter any drainage work, has to
deposit in duplicate with the sanitary authority such plans, sections