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tender (£318,141), upon the basis of the Council participating in any risks incidental
to the work. These negotiations were successful, and on 16th December, 1924,
the Council accepted an offer by that firm to construct the sewer on the basis of
(i.) payment for work done, measured and calculated on a schedule of prices,
(ii.) an allowance of 15 per cent on the value of measured work for use of plant,
office expenses and profit and (iii.) payment or deduction by the Council of
one-half of the amount by which the actual cost of the work (increased by 15 per
cent. of the value of measured work) shall exceed or fall below the sum of items
(i.) and (ii.). The order to begin was given on 30th December, 1924.
Sewer in
Streathamhill
and
Brixton-hill.
The Annual Report for 1923 (vol. III., p. 129) describes the negotiations with
the Lambeth and Wandsworth Borough Councils for the construction by the Council
of a new 4 foot sewer in Streatham-hill and Brixton-hill at the joint expense of the
borough councils in the proportion of two-thirds to Wandwsorth and one-third to
Lambeth. After completion the new sewer will be vested in the Council. The
proposed works will leave the present local sewer in Water-lane as a connecting
link between two of the Council's sewers and it will therefore be taken over by the
Council as a main sewer. The present local sewer in Streatham-hill and Brixtonhill
will continue to be maintained by the borough councils. The estimated cost
of the new sewer, including expenditure not provided for in the contract, amounts
to £57,500 and the work has been included in the list of works approved by the
Unemployment Grants Committee for the purpose of State aid. The Council on
24th December, 1923, accepted the tender, amounting to £46,428, of James Byrom,
Limited. Some delay has ensued owing to the subsidence of a part of the road over
the sewer and at the end of the year work to the approximate value of £16,013 had
been completed.
Out-county
drainage.
Some years ago the Leyton and Walthamstow Urban District Councils asked
to be allowed to discharge sewage into the London main drainage system. The
matter had a direct bearing on the pollution of the Lee and its tributaries, into one
of which, Dagenham brook, effluent is discharged from the sewage works of the two
District Councils, and proceedings have been taken by the Lee Conservancy Board
in this respect. Prolonged negotiations took place between the Council and the
local authorities of areas in the Lee valley comprising Enfield, Edmonton, Southgate,
Leyton and Walthamstow, but ultimately the first three withdrew. Further
negotiations with the Leyton and Walthamstow Urban District Councils were
interrupted by the War and later by the proceedings incidental to the enquiries of
the Royal Commission on the Local Government of Greater London. Afterwards
negotiations were resumed and the Council on 11th November, 1924, decided to
enter into agreements with these two District Councils and to apply to Parliament
in the session of 1925 for powers to enable the agreements to be carried into effect.
The agreed scheme provides for the construction of two connecting sewers not
exceeding 4 feet in internal diamerer, one from Walthamstow which will discharge
into the Council's Hackney to Abbey-mills sewer at or near North Mill Field Recreation
Ground, and the other from Leyton which will discharge into the same sewer
at Gainsborough-road, Hackney. All works will be carried out by the district
councils to the satisfaction of the Council's chief engineer. The quantity of sewage
from the urban districts will be limited to 50 gallons a day for each head of population,
and records of discharges will be supplied to the Council to enable it to ascertain
whether this requirement is complied with. In order to prevent floodings in areas
served by the Council, the flow of drainage from the two urban districts is to be
prevented when in the opinion of the Council's chief engineer the conditions in the
Council's system makes this necessary. At no time may surface water from surface
water sewers be discharged into the London system. The connecting sewers and
all incidental works will be vested in the respective district councils who will be
responsible for maintenance, etc., to the satisfaction of the Council's chief engineer.
In addition to the annual charge mentioned later each of the district councils