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46
circumstances both foul and storm water were running at full bore and
were unable to deal with the excess water falling in this area. Some
flooding from the foul sewers occurred.
On 16th July last there was a heavy fall of rain, some 0.9 inches
falling in about two hours between 4 and 6 p.m. This was followed by the
surcharging of some of the surface water sewers, with the result that
certain roads were waterlogged. More serious though was the fact that
again surcharging of some foul sewers occurred, with resultant flooding
with sewage, in some cases of roads and pavements, in others of the gardens
of houses. Four places about which complaints by the Public Health
Department were received were The Chase, Stanmore, 7 Sweetmans
Avenue, Pinner, Weald Lane and Byron Court. The Pinner Relief Soil
Sewer Scheme was expected to reduce such trouble in that area, but
not to eliminate it entirely ; on the other hand, other remedial measures
could not be undertaken before these works had been completed. The
trouble to which The Chase and nearby roads have been subjected can be
expected to be relieved when the Gordon Avenue relief soil sewer has been
constructed. The construction of the Wealdstone relief soil sewer can be
expected to lead to a diminution in the flooding which has occurred at
Harrow View, View Close and Brook Drive.
There was a further heavy fall of rain on the night of December
13th/14th, 0.9 inches falling in six hours. Hatch End and Pinner were
mostly affected, particularly shops in the Hatch End Broadway. The
trouble was the heavy rainfall coupled with the collection of debris in an
open length of water course which flows through private property and
under private carriage crossings where the debris lodged. This is one
example of the flooding to which parts of the district have been subjected,
the direct result of an obstruction in a water course or ditch or in a
culverted section of a water course or ditch. Generally, the blockage
consists of debris or refuse which can rarely have found its way into the
water course without having been deliberately placed or thrown there by
some person or persons. The Highways and Cleansing Committee asked
that local organisations be approached to help in drawing the attention
of the public to the nuisance being caused by certain persons. The Head
Teachers of the schools were circularised, asking them to draw the
attention of their pupils to the flooding which occurs at intervals as a
direct result of debris being thrown deliberately into water courses,
ditches and culverted sections.
The water courses in the Borough fall into one of three categories •
1. Those under the administration of the Thames Conservancy Drainage
Board, being the water courses of the Thames above Teddington Lock. in
this district is the Pinn and its tributaries ; 2. Those under the administration
of the Middlesex County Council. These comprise most of the
water courses in the Borough ; 3. Those higher reaches of the water
courses and the tributaries and various lengths of water course or ditch
which pass through private land. The powers of the Thames Conservancy
and of the County Council are the same, being to prevent pollution,
keep free from obstruction, to maintain in a state of efficiency and
improve and straighten. In each case the powers are permissive, so t