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55
Plans.—661 sets of plans were examined during 1912. 91 were
plans of new buildings, the drainage of which came under the supervision
of the Public Health Department, consequent on the re-arrangement
of duties mentioned in my report for 1911.
Failure to send in plans occurred in 30 instances.
Infringement of the By-laws in connection with the erection of
buildings occurred in 16 instances.
Proceedings against one firm offending on two occasions were taken
for altering or reconstructing drains without depositing plans, and fines
were imposed of 20s. and 2s. costs in the first case and £2 and 23s. costs
in the second.
Drain-testing.—In the list given above is shown the number of
drains and soil pipes which have been tested under the superintendence
of the sanitary inspectors. The chemical test is applied by them, but
the other forms of test require assistance, this is frequently given by
the builders employed in the work, but in 604 instances the services of
the two drain-testers attached to the Department were requisitioned.
Deep Basements.—There is a growing tendency for owners to obtain
additional accommodation by the formation of deeper basements than
was formerly the case. In a number of instances such basements are
lower than the level of the sewers, so that it is impossible to drain them
by gravitation. Appeals to the London County Council in former years
have resulted in these basements being allowed subject to the following
conditions:—(a) That details of the proposed system of drainage be
carried out to the satisfaction of the City Council; (b) that the whole
of the site be rendered watertight with mastic asphalte to the satisfaction
of the City Council; (c) that a "Shone" or other suitable
ejector be provided in duplicate and that plans and details of such
ejectors and of the rainwater drainage be submitted to and approved by
the City Council; (d) that the owners do give a written undertaking
to the City Council to close the basement wholly or in part if the
drainage thereof is at any time declared by the City Council to be
unsatisfactory after reasonable opportunity of remedying defects has
been given to the owners; and (e) that the owners of the premises do
give an undertaking to the City Council that in the event of the construction
by the City Council of a sewer into which the premises could
be drained by gravitation, the owners will at their own expense carry
out such alterations as will enable the buildings to be so drained by
gravitation into such sewer.
In three instances during the past year appeals have been taken,
with the result that the Appeal Committee gave decisions on the terms
stated above.