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Drainage and Sewerage.
Main drainage is under the control of the West Kent Main
Sewerage Board. During the year under review the sewerage constructed
was as follows: —
London County Council Estate, St. Paul's Cray.—A total of 17
miles of soil and surface water sewers have been constructed.
Edgebury Estate.—A total of 3,846 linear yards of soil and surface
water sewers have been completed.
Cesspools.
There are 482 premises in the district not drained to sewers. Ten
have chemical closets, seven have earth closets and the remainder are
drained to cesspools. Owners or occupiers of premises make private
arrangements with a Maidstone firm for emptying cesspools. The
charge is 23s. for the first 1,000 gallons, and 20s. for each subsequent
1,000 gallons of sewage emptied.
Of the 465 premises with cesspools, five are within legal distance
for conversion to main drainage. There are some ten cesspools which,
although in the line of the sewer, it is not possible to connect owing
to the level. The balance will remain until such time as main drains
can be established. At the present moment, the scheme for main
drainage at Leesons Hill is being formulated. Seven new houses
were erected in 1950 with cesspool drainage, three of which have since
been connected to the sewer.
Rivers and Streams.
Thirteen inspections have been made during the year. The Kent
River Board has made a start on the improvements of the main river
in St. Paul's Cray, as proposed, between Station Road, St. Paul's Cray,
and the Sidcup By-Pass. For part of its length between these points,
Cray River is being diverted into a new concrete channel.
Swimming Baths.
There is one small private swimming bath in the district to which
the public are admitted. Samples are taken regularly and if and when
they have been unsatisfactory, immediate remedial action has been
taken.