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174
The tender, amounting to £10,207 5s. submitted by Mr. Harold E. West, Westminster,
S.W., for the construction of the sewer was accepted on 17th June, 1927, and the
sewer was put into use in October, 1928.
Further
works for
relief of
flooding.
Further works in connection with the relief of floodings, not specifically included
in the original scheme, namely, a diversion of drainage from the southern outfall
sewer No. 2 into the southern high-level sewer No. 2; and a diversion
of drainage from the Ravensbourne and Lee-green sewer into the southern
outfall sewer No. 1 were completed during the year at a cost of £3,550 and
£2,600 respectively.
Three small storm outlets from the northern low-level sewer No. 1 in the neighbourhood
of Horseferry-road, Westminster, afforded some relief during heavy storms,
but more relief is required. An opportunity for securing additional discharging
capacity for storm water in the vicinity arose owing to the fact that the Westminster
Electric Supply Corporation's power station in Horseferry-road was being converted
into a transformer station and that, in consequence, the present cooling water
supply from the river Thames was not required. The pipes and subway forming
part of the cooling water system were easily adaptable as an efficient storm overflow,
and it was decided to acquire and adapt the pipes and subway for the purpose at a
cost of approximately £5,000.
The Savoy-street sewer drains an area of nearly 200 acres of land at a level
considerably above high tide and discharges into the low-level sewers. At the
point of junction with the northern low-level sewer No. 1 there is a storm overflow
into the river Thames, but this overflow can only come into operation at low tide.
By a reconstruction of the outlet the greater part of the storm water in the sewer
may be made to pass direct into the river Thames at all states of the tide and
only the dry weather flow and a proportion of storm water will be discharged into
the low-level sewer. This improvement will have the effect of keeping a large
quantity of water out of the low-level sewer and, thereby, reducing the tendency
of the sewer to surcharge and to cause flooding. The estimated cost of the work
proposed is £4,500.
Buildings,
etc., over
sewers.
Under section 204 of the Metropolis Management Act, 1855, and section 68 of
the Metropolis Management (Amendment) Act, 1862, no building or any other
encroachment may be erected in, over or under any sewer vested in the Council or
any such sewer diverted except with the Council's consent. During 1927 the Council
gave its consent in 33 such cases.
Local sewers.
Section 69 of the Metropolis Management Act, 1855, provides that no local
sewer shall be made without the approval of the Council. During 1928 the
construction or reconstruction of 49,830 feet of local sewers of various sizes has
been sanctioned.
Out-county
drainage.
The discharge of sewage from Walthamstow into the London main drainage
system, which was authorised by the London County Council (General Powers)
Act, 1925, commenced on 1st April, 1928.
For some time past the Barking Town Urban District Council and the Ilford
Corporation have experienced difficulties in connection with the drainage of the
areas under their respective control owing to rapid development for building purposes.
The Council's Becontree housing estate lies partly within these areas. Proposals
have been made for the establishment of sewage works on the Ripple marshes,
but these proposals have not been acceptable to the Council, among others, and
they have been opposed. On the other hand, the Council had been pressing the
Barking Town Urban District Council to find an outlet for the drainage of the
part of the Becontree housing estate in the urban district in order that the erection
of houses might proceed on this part of the estate. In these circumstances consideration
was given to the question of bringing the districts into the London main drainage
system.