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25
DRAINAGE.
VENTILATORS.
For several years I have insisted both in monthly and annual
Reports upon the importance of improving the ventilation of our
Sewers. and I have laid special stress upon the advisability of
establishing more upright ventilating-shafts.
I regret to say that this mode of ventilation is carried out with
tardiness, and only four have been erected during the year making a
total of five in two years!
I trust that this matter may be considered as being of great importance,
and that many more of these ventilators may be erected—I do
not mean six or seven, but some hundreds.
I would specially mention the Leytonstone, Harrow Green and
Cannhall Wards as being the part of the District where they are most
required. We are told by a recent Report on the Drainage of the
District, that the main sewer leading from these Wards is quite
inadequate in times of flood, when a considerable portion of sewage
escapes by the Wanstead culvert. This, I think, points to some
urgency in the matter of ventilation. If the storage capacity of the
sewer is at fault, then in times of flood, the sewer gas is forced back,
collecting at the highest point and escaping into houses where sanitary
defects exist.
This serious condition may be considerably alleviated by allowing
the gas to escape through properly constructed ventilating shafts,
situated at many points of this locality, and especially at the higher
levels.
GULLIES.
Numerous complaints have been received throughout the year of
bad smells arising from road-gullies, and there is no doubt that these
gullies should be thoroughly overhauled.
Some of them have defective traps, and many of the gullies themselves
are defective and will not hold water. All gullies should be
properly constructed to hold water, and efficiently trapped. I would
suggest that there should be a regular system of periodical cleansing of
these gullies. The men who cleanse them should, in addition to being
provided with disinfectants, be accompanied by a water-cart, which
should be used for flushing and re-charging the traps.
The deposit should also be removed from the road immediately
afterwards,