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bacteria-beds. The beds which were used for this purpose retained their capacity
much better than those which dealt with either the crude sewage or with the septic
tank effluent.
A careful consideration of all the information obtained from the various centres
where bacterial treatment has been tried convinces me that the process has been
uniformly successful when the construction and use of the necessary plant has been
reasonably and properly carried out. The only exception that appears possible to
this general statement is interference which is caused by the sewage being of a very
unusual character.
The following summary includes the opinions which have been expressed by
all the authorities who have tried the bacterial system of sewage treatment and have
reported to me on their work:—
Aecrington—The whole of the sewage is treated by the bacterial method, and the results
are satisfactory.
Acton—The experimental treatment was successful, and the effluent was approved of by
the Thames Conservancy. The whole of the sewage is to be treated bacterially.
Aldershot—" When this is done (the construction of secondary coke-beds) I think Aldershot
" will have every reason to be proud of the manner in which it has solved the very difficult
" question of how to dispose of the sewage in a satisfactory manner, and will have one of the
" most efficient systems in the kingdom." Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health
for 1901.
Aylesbury—The result of the treatment is considered to be satisfactory*.
Barnsley—The result of a temporary experiment was satisfactory.
Birmingham—The Engineer to the Birmingham, Thame and Ilea District Drainage Board,
states—" The results obtained were perfectly sufficient to warrant me in saying that the sewage
" of the Birmingham, Thame and Ilea District can be efficientlv treated on prepared bacteria"
beds."
Bristol—The degree of purity of the effluent from bacteria-beds is satisfactory.
Burnley—"We are convinced that the scheme adopted by your Committee will prove
" an efficient one, and that the treatment of the sewage of the Borough will be carried out in a
" more satisfactory manner and with less cost by this system (bacterial tank supplemented by laud)
" than it could be by any other which has come under our notice." Highways and Sewage
Department of the County Borough of Burnley, Report on Sewage Disposal, 23rd April, 1901, p. 20.
Bury—"From the results obtained up to the present, the Corporation have decided to
" extend the works on similar lines " (i.e., chemical treatment followed by subsidence and by
bacteria-beds).
Chorley—" If we had to start de novo, we should adopt exactly the same principle "
(chemical precipitation followed by bacterial treatment).
Darwen—" Having already proper precipitation tanks and filter (coke) beds, we do not
" think it advisable to change the system as we are obtaining satisfactory results, but, if a new
" scheme were to be laid down, many modifications would be made."
Glasgoiv—The effluent from the bacterial treatment was stated on a recent visit from an
officer of the Council, to be entirely satisfactory and non-putrescible.
Huddersfield—" Owing to the final effluent being frequently unsatisfactory, and also
" to the rapid decrease of the capacity of the coarse bed, the use of this system on a large scale
" is not contemplated. The sewage of Huddersfield is of an exceptional character."
Hyde—A complete scheme of sewage treatment, based upon the results of experiments of
bacterial treatment, has been submitted to the Local Government Board for approval.
Kcighley—The Borough Engineer states—" In my opinion, bacterial treatment ought to
" satisfy any river authority. My Council do not intend putting down a permanent installation
" so long as our present system of intermittent land filtration is satisfactory. There is no doubt
"the beds will gradually become choked, but to cleanse or .renew, I think, would be cheaper than
" chemical treatment.."
Kettering—" The provision of filter-beds has very much improved the character of the
" effluent."
Leeds—The Chairman of the Leeds Sewerage Committee states that the results from a
process of continuous bacteria-bed treatment " are very good indeed, giving a purification of
" 95 per cent."
Leicester—A process of bacteria-bed treatment followed by final purification on land has
been favourably reported upon by the Borough Engineer and Surveyor. See report to the
Highway and Sewerage and Sewage Works and Farms Committee, 1900, p. 122.
Lincoln—The City Surveyor says—" The external authorities (through whose districts the
" effluent stream runs), who previously had been dissatisfied with our farm and polarite-bed
" effluents, have expressed themselves satisfied with our bacteria-bed effluent, we therefore are
" completing an installation to deal with all our sewage."
Manchester—Extract from the Annual Report of the Rivers Department for the year
ending 27th March, 1901, p. 74—" The result of the work recorded in the foregoing
" pages, while emphasising the necessity for care in the construction and management of sewage
" purification work, gives the Committee every encouragement in carrying out the scheme for the
" bacterial treatment of Manchester sewage according to the general principles advised in the
" Experts' Report, 1899, and sanctioned by the Council on September 5th, 1900." The experts
recommended preliminary sedimentation and screening followed by bacteria-tank and bacterialied
treatment.