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72
The Borough of Greenwich which also suffered in the same way,
called a conference on the subject in April, at which it was resolved:—
"That in the opinion of this conference the ventilation of
the new L.C.C. sewers by means of surface ventilators
will be open to grave objection, and will constitute a
a danger and injury to the district, and this conference
calls upon the L.C.C. to adopt some other and less
objectionable method of ventilation."
The adoption of raised ventilators or other appliances was
suggested. As no radical action was taken by the L.C.C. this
conference was called together again in November when your
Medical Officer of Health moved the following resolution:—
" That a letter be sent to the L.C.C. requesting them to take
immediate steps to abate the nuisance existing in
Greenwich, Lewisham and Woolwich, from escape of
sewer gas from the outfall sewers, and that failing a
satisfactory answer, and early abatement, the Councils of
these Boroughs be requested to instruct their Town
Clerks to jointly institute legal proceedings for the abatement
of the nuisance."
Temporarily the nuisance has been abated by closing the roadlevel
ventilators complained of, but this obviously can only be a
temporary remedy as it is essential that these sewers shall be
ventilated. It appears that the L.C.C., though anxious to avoid
any cause of complaint, are not prepared to go to the expense of
providing any new system of ventilation. The making of the new
sewers would have given the Council a good opportunity of trying
some of the methods of ventilation which have been found to
obviate nuisance in other towns, and it is greatly to be regretted
that the wealthiest city in the world should have been deterred
from doing this by short-sighted considerations as to expense.