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224
Annual Report of the London County Council, 1912.
The sludge is taken to sea by the Council's sludge vessels, which are six in number, viz., the
" Barking," " Barrow," " Bazalgette," " Belvedere," " Binnie," and " Burns " and each is manned
by a stafE of officers and crew numbering 24. Each vessel carries a load of about 1,000 tons. During
the year under review the vessels made 2,599 trips to and from the deposit area in the Black
Deep ; the distance travelled being about 259,900 miles. The vessels are insured for £108,000.
The arrangements for making lime water to be mixed with the crude sewage at the northern
outfall have not been satisfactory and proper value has not been obtained from the quantity of lime
used. The present liming station is situated about half a mile from the precipitation channels and any
large expenditure on it would not be justified. Plans are therefore being prepared for a new liming
station more conveniently situated.
Main drainage
extension
scheme.
On 5th December, 1899, the Council approved in principle a scheme of main drainage extension
works necessitated by the increasing strain imposed upon the existing system owing to the growth of
the population. This scheme was estimated to cost roughly £3,772,550.
All the works comprised in the scheme have been completed, with the exception of the enlargement
of the Abbey Mills pumping station and the southern low level sewer No. 2 (Battersea to Deptford)
which are, however, approaching completion.
There are certain works which, while not specifically provided for in the scheme, are so closely
connected therewith as practically to form part of it, and although their cost was not included when
the rough estimate of £3,772,550 was prepared, it is anticipated that their inclusion in the scheme will
not cause this estimate to be exceeded. They are (i.) the enlargement of the Crossness pumping station,
roughly estimated to cost £120,000; (ii.) the extension of the southern high-level sewer No. 2 from
Catford to Nunhead, estimated to cost £93,500 ; and (iii.) the enlargement of North Woolwich pumping
station, estimated to cost £51,000.
The necessity for increasing the pumping power at Crossness arises from the fact that in connection
with the main drainage extension scheme, the discharging capacity of the outfall sewers has
been doubled, and when, in times of storm, these sewers are full, the pumping power at the outfall
is quite inadequate. A new engine-house is being erected, and the tender, amounting to £63,690, submitted
by Dick, Kerr and Co., Ltd., has been accepted for the work. The new engine-house will be
constructed to accommodate eight main driving steam engines and centrifugal pumps, but, in the first
instance, only one half of the machinery, estimated to cost £30,000, will be installed. During
the year the undermentioned tenders for the supply and erection of machinery, etc., in
connection with the enlargement of this pumping station have been accepted : Fullerton, Hodgart
and Barclay, Ltd., four triple expansion engines, with condensing plants circulating pumps, etc.,
£9,842 19s. , Boving and Co., Ltd., four centrifugal pumps, £5,180 ; Galloways, Limited, boilers and
superheaters, £3,220 ; J. Blakeborough and Sons, penstocks, pipes and valves, £2,745 ; and Bumstead
and Chandler, Ltd., mechanical stokers, coal conveyors, etc., £260.
The southern high-level sewer No. 2, which was constructed as part of the extension scheme
above mentioned, extends from Catford to Crossness, and its gradient is such that the contents of the
sewer do not have to be pumped. It is now proposed to extend the sewer from Catford to Nunhead
and thus intercept the Effra branch sewer and convey to Crossness sewage from West Norwood,
Dulwich and Peckham Rye, which, under existing conditions, has to be pumped on arrival at the outfall.
The construction of the new length of sewer is being carried out by Messrs. Wm. Underwood and
Bro., at the contract price of £88,398 14s. 9d.
The quantity of sewage pumped at North Woolwich pumping station has increased from 1,200
million gallons to 1,800 million gallons during a period of ten years owing to the increase in the number
of buildings, including many large factories, in the area drained. The enlargement of this station is
essential and the necessary preliminary work, including the preparation of plans, etc., has been
authorised.
Storm relief
There is no separate system of sewers in London for dealing with the surface water apart from
the sewage, but large storm-water sewers have been constructed to relieve the main and intercepting
sewers in times of heavy rainfall, and at various points on both banks of the Thames there are storm
overflows which can be utilised at certain states of the tide. Pumping stations have also been erected
for the sole purpose of pumping storm water into the river and, in addition, arrangements are made
for discharging storm water by means of auxiliary engines at the Western and North Woolwich sewage
pumping stations. The flood relief scheme of 1904, to which reference has been made in previous
reports, is nearing completion.
Certain other works will be undertaken, but it is not anticipated that the estimate of the cost
(£795,000) of the scheme will be exceeded. One of the most important of these is the enlargement of
the storm water pumping station on the Isle of Dogs. The existing plant consists of two steam-driven
reciprocating pumps, and it is proposed that the station shall be extended so as to accommodate two
centrifugal pumps driven by gas. The cost is roughly estimated to amount to £30,000.
When the Falcon Brook pumping station was erected, only one-half the pumping power for which
the station was designed was installed. In order to obtain the best advantage for the expenditure
incurred and to meet the growing needs of the surrounding district, the Council on 7th May, 1912,
decided to complete the equipment of the station, at an estimated cost of £9,500. The tenders of the
Campbell Gas Engine Company, Limited, for the supply, delivery and erection of three gas engines
for £5,680 and of John Cochrane for the supply, delivery and erection of three centrifugal pumps for
£1,800 was subsequently accepted.
An action was commenced in 1907 by Price's Patent Candle Company, Limited, to restrain the
Council from pumping storm water from Falcon Brook pumping station into Battersea Creek, which
adjoins the company's premises. The verdict of the High Court was given in the company's favour and