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Sewerage and Sewage Disposal
Apart from a very few individual domestic and industrial premises which are drained to
cesspools, all premises in the Borough are connected to the sewerage system.
The sewage is conveyed by trunk sewers principally to the treatment works of the West
Kent Main Sewerage Board at Dartford. The exception being the premises in Thamesmead and
other parts of Abbey Wood where the sewage goes to the large Southern Outfall Works of
the Greater London Council at Crossness. The addition of parts of Abbey Wood to this point
of treatment arises due to a rationalisation of design in connection with the development of
Thamesmead.
The Borough Engineer and Surveyor states that during the year all new premises erected
have been connected to the main foul system and that the work to the major scheme affecting
the Northern parts of Erith and Belvedere has continued with a scheduled completion time in
the first part of 1972.
Maintenance of sewers and, where necessary, pumping stations has continued as finances
are allocated. For those concerned with public health and with providing and maintaining the
network of sewers it is certainly not a case of 'out of sight, out of mind' and considerable
quantities of finance must be regularly injected into this vital service and the ancillary service
of surface water drainage.
Public Health Acts — Statutory Notices
Occasions still arise, often as a result of tenants' complaints, when the Public Health
Inspector has to make use of the powers contained in the Public Health Acts to deal with
conditions which are considered to be prejudicial to health or a 'nuisance'. In many cases it
is considered necessary to send a preliminary written notice to the owner or agent and 138
such notices were issued. Where works are not carried out following the service of a preliminary
notice an Abatement notice is served and 21 were served during the year. In no case was it
necessary to seek a 'Nuisance Order' from the Courts for non-compliance with an Abatement
notice.
The service of Abatement notices has been greatly facilitated by the use of delegated powers
with subsequent ratification by the Council.
Swimming Pools.
The Council operates three covered swimming pools, one at Lamorbey, one at Erith and
the other at Crook Log. Bexleyheath, and there are open-air pools in Danson Park and Martens
Grove. In addition, a small number of schools have swimming pools principally provided by
parent/teacher associations. A large factory in the area has its own open-air pool, and an indoor
pool is provided at a large children's residential home belonging to one of the other London
Boroughs but situated in this Borough.
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