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the sewers becoming surcharged the caps of the interceptors have
blown off, causing choking of the soil interceptor leading later to
an overflow of the foul drainage into the surface water connections.
The reversal of this position was found in many instances where,
because the rain water drains were blocked, surface water entered
the soil sewers. Pollution from this cause is likely to recur until
every surface water drain is sealed against the influx of foul water.
This work of fixing in the stoppers is now in hand. Apart from
this, however, the risk of pollution of the water courses in this
manner could be reduced by systematic inspection of the sewers.
The second cause of pollution of the watercourses mentioned,
namely, wrong connections, has arisen because it has become the
practice of developers, before constructing the roads which will
later be taken over by the Council, to lay the sewers and bring
up separate connections from the soil and surface water sewers to
different points at the side of the road to which the house drains
are connected. In spite of the precautions taken to reduce the
possibility of wrong connections being made, these have occurred
on occasion and are followed by heavy pollution of the watercourses
when a number of premises drain into a single channel
which is connected to the wrong sewer.
Trouble arising from the third cause, namely, bath and sink
wastes being connected to the surface drains, occurred in properties
where these fittings have been added later than the original building
of the house, frequently on the occasion of a house being converted
into flats. Much of this work has been done without prior
intimation having been given to the Local Authority. All builders
in the district have had their attention drawn to the provisions
of Section 34 (3) of the Public Health Act, 1936, which reads:—
"A person desirous of availing himself of the foregoing provisions
of this Section (right of owners and occupiers within the district
to drain into public sewers) shall give to the Local Authority notice
of his proposals."
PUBLIC CLEANSING.
Refuse Collection.
No changes were made during the year in the service provided
to the householders.
The charges for the collection and disposal of shop refuse
were modified somewhat and are now:—
(i) One bin of refuse per week to be regarded as house refuse
and collected and disposed of free of charge.
(ii) If required, additional collections to be made weekly at a
charge of £3 3s. 0d. per annum for each such additional weekly
collection, provided not more than two bins shall be collected at
each collection for such charge.