London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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London County Council 1921

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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70
Council's outfalls contributing to this. The Council, therefore, on 11th July, 1921, decided to resume the
use of chemical re-agents. Proto-sulphate of iron was employed for about two months, and was discontinued
towards the end of September, when the river had improved sufficiently to permit solids to
be precipitated in the sewage by natural methods. The total expenditure amounted to about £7,220,
of which £5,530 represented the cost of chemicals, £892 wages of staff, £650 additional stores, and £148
the hire of a launch.
The special examination of the Thames from Teddington to the Black Deep deposit area which
had been in operation for some years was reorganised and some economies were made. The s.y. Beatrice
and the motor launch Cachalot were withdrawn, and their crews were absorbed as far as possible into
other branches of the service. The estimated cost of the reduced service was £435 in respect of the
employment of two samplers and incidental expenses.
Northern
outfall.
further repairs to the pier at the Northern outfall, which have proceeded continuously since
1913, were authorised during the year at a cost not exceeding £2,000. Mechanically operated filthscreens
for removing solids from the sludge have been installed in place of the former screens, which
were cleansed and the refuse removed by hand-labour. The filth is now taken out of the sludge and
loaded into trucks by automatic means, and much labour, involving the employment of 16 men on
rotating shift work, has been saved. The total cost of the new apparatus amounted to £2,845. The
Council, on 1st December, 1921, accepted the tender, amounting to £470, of Messrs. F. and T.
Thorne for repainting the overhead sludge tanks, and the tender of The British Scaling and Painting
Company, Limited, Poplar, amounting to £550, for repainting the cottages at the outfall.
Experiments have shown that lime is of little use as a chemical re-agent in the treatment of
sewage. The liming station at the outfall has therefore been dismantled.
Southern
outfall.
After the opening, in 1916, of the new engine-house at the Southern outfall, it became possible to
lay off for overhaul the main beam-engines and pumps. The work is proceeding continuously. The
expenditure authorised during the year amounted to £1,000 for work to be executed by direct employment
of labour.
Sludge
vessels.
The Council has six vessels for conveying sludge from the outfalls to the Black Deep deposit
area. The vessels are old, having been launched between 1887 and 1895. The oldest, the s.s. Bazalgelte,
was found to be in a bad condition, but in view of the prohibitive cost of a new vessel the Council, on
8th May, 1920, decided to refit her and to instal new machinery. It was anticipated that these works
would give her a further period of service of 15 years. The vessel was sent to Vickers, Limited, at
Barrow, where the work was carried out; and she returned to the Thames in October, 1921. The total
cost of refitting amounted to about £59,000. The s.s. Barking, which was launched in 1889, was laid
off at the beginning of the year for overhaul and quadrennial survey by Lloyd's. When the vessel was
opened out her condition was found to be extremely bad. The Council on 10th March, 1921, decided to
continue the repairs to the hull, and subsequently to instal new machinery. The hull was repaired by
the Glengall Ironworks, Limited, Poplar, at a cost of about £27,500. The s.s. Binnie, Belvedere and Barns
were overhauled during the vear at an approximate cost of £11,683.
Main sewers,
etc.
During 1921 repairs to main sewers were executed at approximate amounts as follows :—ileet
sewer, £4,000; Eel-brook sewer, £1,050; Regent-street sewer, £1,550 ; Ranelagh sewer, £1,500 ; Ratclifi-highway
sewer, £2,920; London-bridge sewer, £3,300; Marsh sewer, £1,900; Hackney-brook
sewer, £1,500; Goswell-street sewer, £400; Southern high-level sewer No. 1, £1,070; Wandsworth
aqueduct, £4,700. The beds of the river Wandle and of the Northern outfall sewer were cleansed by
direct employment of labour at a cost of approximately £1,400 in each case. The middle-level sewer
No. 1 is carried underneath Clerkenwell-road bridge over the Metropolitan Railway. The bridge was
repainted during the year, and the cost was divided between the highways and the main drainage accounts,
the charge against the latter being approximately £1,020.
Pumping
stations.
lenders have been accepted tor the painting of pumping stations as follows:—Western pumping
station, Vigor and Co. (Poplar), Ltd., £615; Heathwall pumping station, Messrs. Triggs and Co.,
£455; Shad Thames pumping station, Messrs. Triggs and Co., £667; Falcon-brook pumping station,
John Marsland and Sons, Ltd., £598.
Abbey Mills
pumping-
6tation.
Water from the Channelsea river has percolated through the river bank at Abbey Mills pumping
station. To remedy this extensive repairs to the wall will be necessary, and the Council, on 13th October,
1921, sanctioned expenditure not exceeding £15,000 for the purpose. On the same date the Council
authorised repairs, at a cost not exceeding £1,000, to the wall of the water reservoirs at the station. The
tender, amounting to £553 10s., of the British Scaling and Painting Company, Limited, Poplar, was
accepted on 1st December, 1921, for repainting and other works at the workmen's cottages.
North
Woolwich
pumping
station.
ine additional works lor tne disposal ot tne sewage trom JNortn Woolwicn anu irom tne puruoiis
of East Ham and West Ham south of the Victoria and Albert Docks were completed during the year,
and the new main from North Woolwich pumping station to the Northern outfall was used for the first
time on 18th August, 1921. The total approximate cost of the scheme is £81,000, including £14,550
for the enlargement of North Woolwich pumping station, £7,350 for machinery, pumps, etc., and £59,100
for the new 24-inch main. The condition of the old pipes was very bad, and frequent bursts have occurred
therein. £600 was expended during the year in repairs.
The disposal of screen refuse (i.e., solids intercepted by screens to prevent the clogging of pumps)
has been carefully considered. Hitherto it has been removed by contractors at a heavy cost to the
Council. The manufacturers offered to instal, at their own expense, a special furnace at North Woolwich
pumping station for burning this refuse, and to remove the same if the apparatus failed. The Council
accepted this offer on 6th October, 1921, but the apparatus was not fitted until nearly the end of the
year, so that there has not been time in which to form an accurate judgment of its work.