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28
The low-level sewer in Mitcham, which was extended in
1896, has proved itself to require further extension, and it has
also been necessary to provide for a supplementary high-level
sewer in the same neighbourhood in order to prevent, on the
one hand, pollution of the River Wandle at Phipps' Bridge,
and, on the other, regurgitation of sewage into house drains
and thence into the houses themselves, such as happened in
the early part of the year. The necessary work has now commenced.
As mentioned on page 26, the Council has decided to
provide sewers for Kenley, and the scheme, the plans of
which Mr. Chart had not quite completed at the close of the
year, is to include a system of sewers for Smithambottom,
and for that portion of Sanderstead which is nearest to
Croydon. The outfall is to be into the sewers of that town
in the Brighton Road. No further action has yet been taken
with reference to the drainage of Addington, the unsatisfactory
nature of which was the subject of a report in 1896.
The sewage farm of the Croydon Corporation at Beddington
again attracted attention during the year by reason of the
offence to which it gave rise, more especially at Beddington
Corner, and also by a proposal to extend the area used for
irrigation towards Beddington village.
If the original proposition had been carried out, crude
sewage would have been treated on land in close proximity
to the bulk of the houses in Beddington village, and
also to the main stream of the River Wandle. Ultimately,
however, the Corporation agreed to limit the new extension
to an area coterminous with an adjoining area which has been
irrigated for some years, and also to execute certain works to
prevent pollution of the river.
Much attention has lately been directed to the
"biological" methods of treating sewage, as employed at
Sutton and Exeter. The basis of both methods is to