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hood occurred. Steps were at once taken to deal with the situation and a diversion
of the sewer around the damaged portion was put in hand. The sewer adjacent
to the portion which collapsed appeared to be in fairly good condition, but it tended
to get further under the railway. It was therefore decided to divert a further length
of the sewer clear of the railway. The estimated cost of this work and of filling
in the old sewer to be abandoned is £9,000.
Repairs, etc., have been carried out during the year to intercepting and main
sewers as follows:—
Approximate cost.
£
Eastern Counties sewer 2,700
Bang's Scholars' Pond sewer 3,040
London-bridge sewer 2,270
Regent-street sewer 3,480
Ratcliff Highway sewer 3,640
Fleet sewer 1,260
Wick-lane sewer 2,490
Nightingale-lane sewer 2,750
Ranelagh sewer 2,440
Battle-bridge sewer 643
Effra sewer 2,600
Effra Branch sewer 1,000
Southern High-level sewer No. 1 extension 2,565
River Graveney 755
Earl Boundary sewer 550
The collapse of the Eastern Counties sewer involved the hiring, at the shortest
possible notice, of pumping plant, and to meet future emergencies the Council
decided to obtain pumping plant at an estimated cost of £700.
The work of removing from the sewers deposits which accumulate there is one
of considerable magnitude. For this purpose the county is divided into four
districts, each district being made the subject of a separate contract. Contracts
are based upon prices for the cartage and disposal of the deposit which is removed
from the sewers by the Council's staff. The cost of this work in 1928 was approximately
£3,500.
Flood relief
works.
The Council on 22nd July, 1919, had before it a comprehensive scheme of works
to mitigate floodings in various parts of London on both sides of the river Thames
during times of heavy rainfall. The scheme, which is described in the Annual
Report for 1920 (Vol. III., p. 121), specified seventeen works and the total estimated
cost, based on pre-war conditions, was £2,467,150.
The first work undertaken was the construction of the north-eastern storm
relief sewer from Kelvin-road, Highbury, to the Thames at Shadwell, which was
commenced in 1921.
In order to provide additional employment the Council on various dates subsequently
decided to accelerate the work on other portions of the 1919 scheme,
particularly those which would provide work suitable for unskilled or partly skilled
labour. The works selected were the improvement of the river Graveney, the
Wandle Valley sewer, the Charlton storm relief sewer, flood relief works at Hammersmith,
the enlargement of the Isle of Dogs and Abbey Mills pumping stations, the
south-western storm relief sewer, storm relief sewers in Lewisham and Woolwich
and the north-western storm relief sewer. All these works have been approved
for grant by the Unemployment Grants Committee.
A further item in the scheme, the construction of the Beverley Brook relief
culvert, which was commenced in 1925, did not rank for Government grant.