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SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE AREA.
WATER.- Water is supplied by the Metropolitan Water Board
and is quite satisfactory as regards sufficiency and quality.
Mr.T.S.Cunningham, B.Sc., M.Inst. M.& Cy.E., Borough Engineer
and Surveyor, kindly contributes the following report:-
SEWERS.- New pumps of greater capacity have been installed
by the Borough Engineer & Surveyor's Department to deal with
the additional soil sewage discharge from a factory area.
RODENT CONTROL.- A direction has been given under The
Infestation Order, 1943, Rodent Repression in Sewers, for the
destruction of rats in the soil sewers within the Borough.
The work, which is being carried out by the Borough Engineer &
Surveyor's Department, was commenced early in December, 1943,
is now in progress,and in the first three of the four weeks of
the first of the two treatments at present proposed, the estimated
number of rats destroyed is 9,800.
PUBLIC CLEANSING.- Mr.Eric Bell, M.I.P.C., A.R.San.I.,
Cleansing Superintendent, kindly contributes the following report:-
In preparing this report on the activities of the Public
Cleansing Department, I am very pleased to state that all
essential services were maintained during the year 1943 despite the
many difficulties mainly due to the manpower situation.
HOUSE REFUSE COLLECTION.
The total weight of refuse collected during the past year was
23,014 tons. This shows an increase of approximately 300 tons,
compared with 1942, due most probably to the return of further
residents from reception areas From this tonnage 5,625 tons of
salvage were returned to industry, thus saving valuable shipping
space and probably lives of seamen.
The analysis of the refuse still shows that large quantities
of tinned foods are being consumed, a drop in the cinder content,
and a slight increase in dust. Despite the many appeals made to
the public, and the Compulsory Order issued by the Government
making this an offence, large quantities of waste paper, cardboard,
rags, etc., are still mixed with refuse.
STREET SALVAGE OFFICERS.
These ladies continue to do excellent work - we now have some
400. During the past year valuable assistance was given by these
ladies, the W.V.S., Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, Girls Training Corps,
Young Communist League, etc., in the Book Recovery Drive.
Walthamstovs' s target, set by the Ministry, was 250, 000; this was
easily achieved. Naturally this entailed a tremendous amount of
work for these volunteers, also for every section of the Cleansing
Department. The Borough Librarian, with the assistance of the
Teachers' Association, kindly arranged to supervise the scrutiny
of each book collected.
WASTE FOOD.
This scheme continues to provide valuable feeding material for
pigs and poultry, and 1,618 tons have been collected during the
past year. Approximately 1,200 bins are distributed throughout
the Borough, to Salvage Officers, Works, Canteens and Restaurants.
These are collected daily during the summer months, and three or
four times during the winter. The bins are cleansed and sterilised
periodically at these Works. During the past year about 75% of
the bins have been painted broken white with suitable wording in
red. This was done mainly to attract public attention to the
correct uses of these bins, in the hope of eliminating the practice
10.