London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Croydon 1894

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]

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45
Plans of Iron Buildings submitted 6
Of which were approved or licensed 4
Plans for Drainage only, submitted 17
Of which were approved 11
New Streets.
Plans for New Streets and Sewers submitted and approved 10
Streets made un, metalled, and kerbed under Sections 150, 151, and 152,
of the Public Health Act 8
Of which have been declared Highways 8
The Bye-laws, dealing with streets and buildings, and all
other matters, are still undergoing revision, and it is to be hoped
that early in the year there will exist a complete set of modern
Bye-laws, applicable to the whole of the District, instead of part
only as at present.
VIII.—RIVER POLLUTION.
The condition of that portion of the river Wandle which
traverses the District, and that of its various tributa. ies, has
received careful attention during the year, and they have been
under close observation from time to time.
Complaint was made early in the year that sewage was, by
some means, finding its way into the river at Beddington, from
the adjoining Corporation Sewage Farm. Examination revealed
that when a certain plot was being irrigated, an increased volume
of water found its way into a neighbouring surface-water drain,
which finally discharged into the river. An analysis of this
water showed that it consisted, largely, of very imperfectly purified
sewage.
Since the pollution was discovered, care has, I believe, been
taken not to irrigate the land near the drain in question, and it
is understood that permanent alterations are about to be made,
to prevent any danger of pollution in future.
The pollution from the chemical factory, at Lonesome, in
Mitcham, referred to on page 35 of the last annual report, has
been under observation several times, and the proprietors, after
great delay, have constructed filtering apparatus to prevent the