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conveniences have free hand washing facilities including 8 installations of an improved type of hand
washing and drying machine. The majority of these conveniences are subject, in varying degrees, to
vandalism and misuse which has an adverse effect on the benefits otherwise available to members of
the public.
SEWERAGE AND SEWAGE DISPOSAL
Except for a few isolated areas, the Borough is provided with a separate system of foul and
surface water sewers. The system which collects rain water only discharges into local natural water
courses and the other system is linked with one of three treatment plants. A small area of the
northern part of the district drains to the West Hertfordshire main drainage works at Maple Cross
near Rickmansworth, whilst the remainder goes to the disposal works of the Greater London Council
at either Edmonton or Mogden.
The trunk sewers which convey the sewage to the disposal works of the Greater London Council
are vested with that authority, but all the other sewers are the responsibility of the Borough Council.
There are a few areas of old development where both rain water and foul sewage are conveyed
by a single sewer into the foul system, but as these areas are redeveloped opportunity is taken to
link them to the separate systems.
In the more rural parts of the northern area there are also some properties which drain to cesspools,
for which an emptying service is operated by the Council whereby 8 clearances per annum are carried
out free of charge. Schemes are in the course of preparation to connect certain of these properties
to main drainage.
There are certain areas where flooding occurs during periods of abnormal storms and a comprehensive
examination of the sewerage systems within the whole of each drainage area is to be carried
out to ascertain the extent of the capital expenditure required to deal with the problem.
REFUSE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL
The collection of refuse remains the responsibility of the local authority under the control of the
Borough Engineer and Surveyor, but the disposal is the responsibility of the Greater London Council.
Most of the vehicles used in this service are of the modern compression type operating on 44
collection rounds to give a weekly service.
The refuse is taken to either Summers Lane, Finchley, where the Greater London Council arrange
for its transportation to tipping areas outside London or to the refuse destructor on the North Circular
Road, Hendon, N.W.2. operated by the same authority.
Complaint was received from a number of people who live in the vicinity of the transfer station
about dust created by the decanting of refuse from collection vehicles to the bulk transporters. This
was referred to the Greater London Council.
Special arrangements are made for the regular clearance of trade refuse as required, whilst a
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