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cause, and he includes in his report a tabular statement, showing the size, gradient, &c., of the sewers
in the several roads in the area, his conclusion being—
1. That the whole of the sewage of the above district is carried off by the marsh sewer, which
receives also the sewage from Tottenham, and that now its dry weather flow is about 18 inches. This
leads to the result that a considerable length of the main sewers conveying the sewage from the eastern
section of Clapton-park is charged with backed-up sewage.
2. The gradients of many of the branch sewers are too small for the effectual conveyance away of
the sewage.
3. That owing to the presence of basements in certain streets, the gradients are still further
reduced, the consequence being that the house drains are almost flat.
4. That most of the basemented houses of this locality are flooded with backed-up sewage during
periods of storms.
He then discusses the risk to the inhabitants, and points out that the population is a growing
one, and contains a large proportion of young persons; and he thus concludes—
The remedy, of course, is an engineering one, which can only be applied by the London County
Council. The time is opportune for drawing their attention to this matter, because they are considering
a scheme for the relief of Hackney Wick, and some modification of this scheme to relieve Clapton-park
might now be made more easily than at a later period; and I would most strongly urge that their
attention should be called to this area, and that they be asked to improve, if possible, its sewage
arrangements to prevent the recurrence of similar floods to that noted above.
The medical officer of health of Poplar and Bromley writes that on the 30th of May various
parts of the district were flooded. " The sanitary committee, which met on the 1st July, referred the
various claimants for compensation to the London County Council, and at the committee meeting it
was recommended that the Council be urged to take immediate steps to cleanse their sewers in Highstreet,
Poplar." The medical officer of health of Lambeth reports that serious floodings occurred on the
7th and 24th June in Norwood and Gipsy-hill, due to the surcharging of the London County Council
sewer. "The boards of the houses were taken up and the sewage-contaminated water and debris
removed, chloride of lime being freely used afterwards, with the result that no apparent injury to
health accrued, so far as one could judge during a house-to-house visitation which was made by the
inspector." He states that the work necessary for the prevention of these floodings has since been
decided on and commenced by the London County Council. The medical officer of health of Charlton
thus refers to flooding of houses in his district: " This nuisance is repeated as frequently as ever, and
the past year has been no exception to previous years. I believe it to be due entirely to the inadequacy
of the County Council sewer to carry off the storm water which is the cause of an enormous amount
of damage and annoyance to the inhabitants." The medical officer of health of Plumstead states that
during some of the heavy rainfalls which occurred in the summer of 1897, floodings occurred at certain
houses, more especially at Raglan-road and Crescent-road.
The medical officer of health of Battersea writes that the sanitary inspector reported on the
alleged offensive condition of the creek at Messrs. Prices' premises, York-road, and stated that " after
the creek pumping-station had been working for the purpose of pumping storm water into the
river from the creek and main low-level sewers, a considerable amount of sewage matter which
necessarily passed out with such storm water became largely mixed with the mud, &c., at the bottom
of the creek, and caused the same to become offensive." This condition occurred when there were
three or four feet of water in the creek, and the material did not find its way rapidly into the river.
He recommended that the storm overflow should have a covered culvert laid down through the creek
and discharge into the river at low water, or that the bottom of the creek should be concreted and
suitably sloped so as to be thoroughly scoured during the ebb of the tide.
House drainage.
During 1897 the Public Health Committee had under consideration the preparation of by-laws
regulating the construction of house drains under section 202 of the Metropolis Local Management Act.
By-laws were in 1896 drafted and communicated to the vestries and district boards from whom
suggestions were subsequently received. These suggestions were considered by the Committee, and
the drafts amended with a view to meeting as far as possible the views of the sanitary authorities.
After further examination by the Local Government Board it may be expected that the by-laws will
be made and confirmed.
The subject of combined drains is referred to in the reports of the medical officers of health of
Kensington, Fulham, Marylebone, Strand, Shoreditch, Whitechapel, Battersea, Charlton and Plumstead.
A conference of sanitary authorities was held at the Holborn Town Hall in connection with
the bill which the London County Council was asked to introduce into Parliament. The subsequent
action taken by the Council is shown in the following report of the Parliamentary Committee, dated
1st July, 1897—
We were instructed on 26th January last to re-introdnce this bill, which it will be remembered was
prepared last year to give effect to the decision of the Council on 12th February, 1895, to apply to
Parliament for an amendment of the definition of the words sewer and drain in the Metropolis Local
Management Act. We have met with considerable difficulty in dealing with the matter. In the first
place it was only after much trouble and delay that we were able to obtain the consent of members of
Parliament to allow their names to be placed on the back of the bill, and we have altogether failed in
our efforts to get any member to take charge of and introduce it. The agent informs us that he has had
an opportunity of discussing the matter with the secretary and some members of the conference who
dealt with it on behalf of the vestries and district boards, and that it was quite agreed that the bill
could not possibly pass this session. Under these circumstances it appears to us that it will be best to
afford time for a further consideration of the matter, and we recommend—
That no further action be taken this session with respect to the Metropolitan Sewers and
Drains Bill, and that a circular letter be addressed to the various local authorities who took part in
the conference which led to the preparation of the bill, informing them of the difficulties which
have been met with in introducing it and which have led to its being dropped.