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Drainage.
The system of drainage is by sewers. The main portion of the sewage is
carried by the sewer laid down in 1898. This consists of two portions, one a low
level sewer running from Abbey Wood Station to Erith and worked by the Shone
pneumatic system, having ejectors situated about every half mile throughout its
length ; the other portion runs from Belvedere and Northumberland Heath and
requires no ejectors, the fall being sufficient to keep up the flow. This sewer
discharges into the outfall works situated at Anchor Bay where the sewage is treated,
and the effluent discharged into the river Thames.
There is also in Erith itself an old brick sewer, to which a certain number of
houses are still connected, and which discharges into the river Thames. During
1908, 130 of these houses were disconnected from this old sewer, and the drains
reconstructed and connected on to the new sewer.
Early in 1908 a new sewer was constructed near Abbey Wood Station to take'
the sewage from the houses on the Marsh near that spot, and is now working
satisfactorily. There are still in other parts of the marshes a number of houses
draining into cesspools, which have to be emptied at frequent intervals. The
matter taken from these cesspools is spread on the marsh land, away from the
proximity of any houses, with the permission of the owners.
The drains in recently built houses are for the most part in good condition,
having been constructed under the Council's byelaws, but in old houses they are
frequently found defective on examination. When this is the case, notice is served
on the owners to remedy the defects, and this is usually complied with at once.
Medical Inspection of School Children.
This has been carried out by a special medical man appointed by the Education
Committee.
With regard to notifiable infectious diseases, lists of infected houses are
furnished weekly to the Education Committee by myself, and a weekly return is
supplied me by that Committee showing the number of children away from school
owing to non-notifiable diseases, such as measles, whooping cough, &c., as ascertained
by the enquiries of the school attendance officers.
Water Supply.
The District is supplied by the Metropolitan Water Board. The water, though
hard, is of good quality.