View report page

SEWERAGE AND SEWAGE DISPOSAL
Sewerage and sewage disposal in the City of London are the responsibility of the City Engineer
who has supplied the following information:—
"The sewerage system in the City is comprised mainly of ovoid shaped brick sewers, the
average internal dimensions being four feet high and two feet eight inches wide, this size being
adopted only to provide access for sewermen, as the normal dry weather flow depth of effluent is
only about nine inches at an average velocity of two to three feet per second.
The Corporation sewers discharge into the Greater London Council intercepting sewers
which flow eastwards across the City at a much lower depth to their Northern Outfall Works.
The system of sewerage in the City is adequate, with ample margin for diverting flows from
sewers during reconstruction and maintenance works."
SMOKE NUISANCES
City of London (Various Powers) \ct, 1954.
Clean Air Act, 1956.

The main causes of nuisance in 1 and 2 were inefficient combustion due to poor technical
knowledge of the operator and bad maintenance.
Bonfire nuisances arose mainly from the disposal of combustible matter on demolition sites
and were dealt with under Section 16 of the Clean Air Act, 1956.
A satisfactory measure of co-operation was secured in all cases and further action was not
required.
NOISE
Noise control continued to call for considerable attention during the year, again mainly concerned
with building operations.
Extending the term noise to include vibration and coupling this with the increased use of
business machines an additional cause of complaint arose because of interference with the working
of delicate office machinery. This is readily understood when it is realised that sheet piling
or heavy earth moving operations are often carried out on sites adjacent to occupied premises.
Although this would appear to concern machinery efficiency rather than the health of the operator,
usually there were elements of both calling for investigation and action.
In general in the largest and noisiest operations the most effective relief has been obtained
by confining work to periods outside the times of peak office activity and by limiting night work,
to the benefit of the resident population.
Building operations inside buildings have given rise to repeated complaints and have been
the most difficult to control by restricting the working periods. Often specialist sub-contractors
are employed who are less used to the noise problem and often they have less facility to deploy
labour on other work.
70 complaints were received. Of these 26 involved large projects calling for continuing observations
over periods of weeks or months.
COMMON LODGING HOUSES
There is one mens' common lodging house in the City which is fully occupied nightly. These
premises are situated at 116, Middlesex Street and are owned by the Salvation Army Authorities.
The premises house some 420 men on 6 floors. There are canteen facilities available in
the basement.
6