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SEWERAGE AND SEWAGE DISPOSAL
I am indebted to the Borough Engineer and Surveyor, Mr. D.T. Hurlstone, C.Eng., M.I.C.E.,
F.I.Mun.E., A.R.I.C.S., M.lnst.H.E., for kindly supplying the information on which the following
report is based.
The sewerage system of the Borough had its origin at the end of the nineteenth century when
the West Kent Main Sewerage Board was established. The Board laid trunk foul sewers through the
districts of Sidcup, Crayford and Bexley. In the 1930's, Erith discontinued treating its sewage at
its own sewage Works and was connected to the Sewerage Board's system. The district has always
been drained on the "separate sytem", i.e. storm or rain water being kept separate from the foul
water drainage system. Prior to 1945 there was little provision for surface water drainage which
was disposed of mainly by soakaways or drainage into streams. In the 1930's large scale housing
development took place and although the foul sewer system was reasonably adequate, the surface
water drainage provision was insufficient. In times of abnormal rainfall, the inadequate surface
water drainage system led to flooding in many places. Also infiltration of surface water into the
foul sewer system caused surcharging in some areas after abnormal rainfall.
Due to the physical features of the Borough it is not possible to operate a completely gravitational
drainage system and twelve foul sewage pumping stations are in operation in the Borough.
Many of these pumping stations are equipped with old machinery nearing the end of its useful life
and constant effort is necessary to keep the stations operational. Connections have recently been
installed to rising mains to enable emergency pumps to operate should the static units breakdown.
Since 1965, in order to modernise the system and expand its capacity to deal with the present
and anticipated demands, a vast amount of drainage work has been put in hand in the Borough, or
is in the planning stage. There are 34 major schemes in hand or planned ranging in cost from
£13,000 to £900,000.
In some cases where a convenient sewer has not been readily accessible to premises then it has
been necessary for cesspools to remain in use or be provided. Some 56 domestic cesspools and 32
industrial cesspools are in use. The Council provides a service for emptying the contents of cesspools
into the main sewerage system.
With the exception of the drainage from the Thamesmead area which is conveyed to the nearby
Greater London Council's Southern Outfall Works, the trunk sewers serving the Borough convey
the sewage to the treatment works of the West Kent Main Sewerage Board situated in Dartford.
ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION
Air is breathed by everyone from the moment of birth to death. It is the only factor in the
environment which is common to everyone. Polluted air, therefore, affects the health of everyone
and although the reaction to it may vary from person to person, everyone is adversely affected to
some degree.
Pollution arises mainly from the combustion of fossil fuels, i.e. coal or oil, for domestic heating
or for industrial purposes. It consists of smoke, grit and dust and sulphur dioxide. Smoke is the
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