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into the Penge and Bell Green Sewer, which latter sewer (taking
also the sewerage from Penge) connects to the Metropolitan Sewer
at Lewisham, the main outfall of which Metropolitan Sewer is
situate at Crossness on the River Thames.
The sewers of the West Kent Area discharge at several points
into the two main sewers of the West Kent Sewerage Board, the
sewage being eventually collected at Dartford, where, after purification,
it is discharged into the Thames.
The sewers are ventilated by means of man-holes opening on
the surface of the streets and by shafts carried above roof level.
CESSPOOLS.
In the year 1882 and the subsequent years the sewering of the
district was carried out, and the old system of house drainage to
cesspools was practically abandoned. Isolated houses which were
too far from the sewer continued to be drained to a cesspool, but as
the district extended and new roads and sewers were laid, these
gradually were connected up to the sewers.
At the present time there are seven houses in the district
connected to a cesspit, and these are in every instance beyond the
legal distance within which the owners can be called upon to connect
them with the district sewers. All cesspools are properly constructed
and cleansed when necessary.
SCAVENGING.
Every occupied house in the district is provided with a galvanised
iron dustbin for the reception of house refuse in accordance
with the Beckenham Urban District Council Act, 1903.
Special arrangements exist for the frequent removal of trade
refuse.
The Destructor is situated at the Electricity Works in Churchfields
Road, but owing to a breakdown of the Destructor Plant
it was necessary to institute " Controlled Tipping " of refuse, and
a site South of the Borough has been used.
HOUSING
Extracts from a Memorandum submitted to the Chairman
and Members of the Health and Welfare Committee on
January 16th, 1946.
The housing situation is deplorable, and the difficulties increase
each week as men and women leave the Services and return home.
The original estimate of post-war housing needs, reported to
the Council in May, 1943, by the Housing Committee, was that
houses would be needed for 1,000 families : present information
indicates that this was an under-estimate. It was recognised by
the Housing Committee at the time that some of this need could
be met by private enterprise, but it was evident that a very substantial
number of houses would have to be provided by the Local
Authority.
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