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20
SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE AREA.
Alteration of Boundary.—The Ministry of Health Provisional Order Confirmation (Ealing
Extension) Act, 1937, confirmed a Provisional Order of the Minister of Health relating to the Borough
of Ealing. This Order transferred from Willesden to Ealing an area of approximately 71.1 acres.
The area transferred extends on the south side to the ninth house eastward of the junction of Iveagh
Avenue and Twyford Abbey Road and on the northern boundary to the eastern side of a new
road running north westward from the North Circular Road to a few yards beyond Iveagh Avenue.
Water.—The water supply of Willesden is derived from the mains of the Metropolitan Water
Board and the Colne Valley Water Company. The service is constant and the water of excellent
quality.
Rivers and Streams.—The River Brent forms the Northern and Western boundary of the
district. The Mitchell Brook, a tributary of the Brent, is a small stream running in a westward
direction through the district. A large sheet of water known as the Welsh Harp is formed at the
extreme northern boundary by the damming up of the Brent, thus forming a reservoir about a mile
in length and about a quarter of a mile in width, or 160 acres in extent. The boundary line between
the Boroughs of Willesden and Wembley passes through the length of this reservoir, leaving an area
of about 68 acres of it in Willesden.
No pollution of any of these waters in the Willesden area came under the notice of the Health
Department during the year.
Closet Accommodation.—All houses are supplied with closets on the water carriage system.
Each house has at least one water closet, and in the better class tenement house there is
generally a water closet provided on each floor.
Public Cleansing.—Since the year 1919-20, the Health Department has not been responsible
for the removal and disposal of house refuse, that work having been taken over by the Engineer's
Department.
Quite 99 per cent. of the houses in the district are provided with movable receptacles. Fixed
receptacles in the older houses are rapidly decreasing in number, and during the next few years should
entirely disappear.
The Borough Engineer's Department collect refuse from all premises at least once weekly.
Public Cleansing, etc.—On the 31st July, 1936, the barging of refuse to tips outside the
district ceased and all house refuse is now tipped at Twyford, Willesden. The Council are now
considering the erection of a suitable disposal plant or the provision of some other efficient method of
treatment to be available as soon as this tip is exhausted, viz., in about two years time.
Drainage and Sewerage.—The culverting of the Mitchell Brook through the grounds of the
Municipal Hospital and between Brentfield Road and the North Circular Road has now been completed.
Application has been made to the Ministry for loan sanction in respect of the section between
Dudden Hill Lane and Neasden Lane.
The culverting of the final section of the Harlesden Brook is about to be commenced.
Schemes for the relief of flooding in various parts of the Borough are in course of preparation
and work will shortly commence in Lennox Gardens and Oxgate Lane.
The reconstruction of the brick sewer in Rudolph Road, Kilburn, is now completed and plans
are being prepared for similar work in Canterbury Road.
The sewers and surface water drains in the second section of the Church End Housing Estate
have also been completed.
Smoke Abatement.—At one of the electrical generating stations, a new chimney stack some
236 feet high was erected to which has been connected the outlet of a new gas washing chamber. This
new gas washing chamber receives the flue gases from the majority of the boilers and it is proposed to
duplicate the gas washing chamber so that the flue gases from the remaining boilers can be washed,
also that gases from either battery can be passed into either washing chamber.
Swimming Baths and Pools.—The Council have three open-air swimming pools and one covered
bath, viz.:—
Gladstone Park Bath.—Constructed 1903. Open Air.
King Edward VII Bath.—Constructed 1911. Open Air.
Craven Park Bath.—Constructed 1935. Open Air.
Granville Road Bath.—Constructed 1936-37. Covered Bath.
In all cases filtration is by pressure and sterilisation by chlorination. Bacteriological tests of
water from each bath are taken weekly during the season.