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31
If, on the other hand, the allegation that channels exist in
the chalk by which disease-producing matter can travel any
distance unaltered, is accepted as a working hypothesis, and this
appears to be what Croydon contends, the question becomes a
much wider one, for the channels are said to commence beyond
Caterham and to continue along the "Valley past Kenley to Purley,
and thence to Croydon, and in the area beyond Kenley towards
and including Caterham there are five or six times as many
houses as there are in Kenley itself, drained in the same manner.
The danger from this point of view thus becomes a much
more extensive one, as regards both the wells in Kenley and those
in Croydon, but also becomes somewhat complicated, for the area
referred to beyond Kenley is not under the jurisdiction of this
Council. It is obviously one, however, which from its importance
must be treated in a comprehensive and logical manner, and not
so as to exclude danger from Kenley only and allow other and
much larger sources of danger to remain in existence. (See
page 32.)
VIII.—SEWERAGE AND SEWAGE DISPOSAL.
During the year the Council commenced the works of improvement
at the Merton Sewage Works, in accordance with the
scheme described generally in previous reports. These improvements
are called for to remedy defects in the means of sewage
disposal, and partly also, in the sewerage of the District.
The extension of the low-level sewer, referred to in the
previous report, was completed early in the year. This was
called for on account of the flat gradient and inadequate size of
the old sewer, which led to extensive "heading back" of sewage
from the outfall, while this condition led to similar heading back
in certain house drains in the neighbourhood. In the course of
the year, all the drains liable to be affected in this manner, were
connected with the new sewer, so that no heading back can now
occur.