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32
SEWAGE DISPOSAL AND REFUSE COLLECTION.
I am indebted to the Borough Engineer, C. E. Boast, Esq.,
O.B.E., M.C., M.I.C.E., F.R.I.C.S., M.I.Mun.E., M.I.W.E.,
for the following information:—
Refuse Collection and Disposal.
56,500 tons of house refuse are collected annually in Croydon
and disposed of by controlled tipping. This latter is being
carried out at the present time on Mitcham Common and already
15 acres of boggy water-logged common have been raised about
six feet, covered with soil and grassed down for use as playing
fields. Work has commenced on a further 34 acres, using the
refuse not only from Croydon, but also from the Boroughs of
Mitcham, and Beddington and Wallington.
Sewage Disposal.
The sewage of the Borough is dealt with at Beddington and
South Norwood. The Addington area drains into the West Kent
Drainage Board Works and a small part of Upper Norwood into
the L.C.C. system.
The main works at Beddington deals not only with the
sewage from the major part of the Borough, but takes the sewage
under agreement from five outside authorities, viz., Coulsdon
and Purley U.D.C., Caterham and Warlingham U.D.C., Banstead
U.D.C., Beddington and Wallington Borough, and
Carshalton U.D.C. The sewage flow from an estimated population
of 330,000 is treated at the Beddington Works, the dry
weather flow being about 10½ million gallons per day.
The Works include a very modern sludge digestion plant,
from which Methane Gas is evolved as a natural by-product of
the process. This gas is used for generating all the electricity
required for power and lighting of the Works, for maintaining
temperature in the digestors, and, by compressing it, for use on
vehicles as a fuel in lieu of petrol.
Some 60 vehicles, including the fleet of refuse collectors,
have been converted to run on this gas, and by this means over
85,000 gallons of petrol are saved per annum.