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110
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.
58,888 tons of house refuse are collected annually in Croydon
and disposed of by controlled tipping. This latter is being carried
out at present at the East Surrey Gravel Pits to restore the level
for eventual use as school playing fields.
3,950 tons of refuse are swept and collected from the streets
annually in addition to 1,034 tons of market refuse which are
disposed in a similar manner.
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 Iv.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 four outside authorities, viz., Coulsdon
and Purley U.D.C., Caterham and Warlingham U.D.C., Banstead
U.D.C., and Carshalton U.D.C. The sewage flow from
an estimated population of 333,000 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 45 vehicles, including part of the fleet of Refuse Collecting
Vehicles, have been converted to run on this gas, and
by this means about 60,000 gallons of petrol are saved per annum.