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21
Sewage Disposal.—There are four separate sewage works
in the Borough, situated at North Ealing, South Ealing, Greenford
and Hanwell. The first two are very efficient works which never
occasion any complaints. As regards the Hanwell works, during
the year there were complaints from inhabitants of the houses in
the vicinity that at certain times during the summer months,
particularly in the evening, the smell was so intense as to be almost
unbearable. Perhaps the complaints were to some extent justified
and may be put down to the fact that the summer season was a
very wet one, with the consequence that the drying of the sludge
was difficult and there was of necessity a larger surface of land
covered with wet sludge. The remedy of this condition consists
in the installation of sludge pressing plant as at the North Ealing
and South Ealing Works, a proposal for which is in the course of
preparation by the Borough Surveyor.
Complaints have been numerous with regard to the Greenford
Works. These complaints have certainly been justified for the
smell in the early part of the year was not only extremely unpleasant,
but very persistant. Apparently the smell has been due to sulphuretted
hydrogen generated in the tanks and especially set free
in the air by the sprinklers on the filter beds. Confirmation of the
fact that the smell is due to sulphuretted hydrogen is given by the
blackening of the white paint in the vicinity. This heavy gas
clings, when liberated from the sewage, to the surface of the land.
The smell, therefore, has been particularly evident in the valley
down which it has spread long distances, persisting with great
tenacity except in the presence of high winds which brings about
its dispersal.
In the course of the year the works were extended so as to
double their capacity, but it need not be anticipated that the
extension will of itself eliminate the production of offensive gas.
No doubt the works were previously greatly overloaded, but the
overloading alone has not caused the production of sulphuretted
hydrogen, though it may have had a tendency to increase its
production. The special quality of the sewage to be dealt with
has been the main cause.
A particularly strong sewage is received from large works
employing over 3,000 persons, and a sewage of peculiar character
conies from tallow works in the same neighbourhood. The former