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18
SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE AREA.
Water Supply.
The Borough water supply is obtained from the Metropolitan
Water Board, and has been satisfactory in all respects.
Drainage and Sewerage.
Soil sewage is taken into the London County Council system and
surface water discharges into the River Lee. Recommendations
were made during the year that the open sections of the Moselle
Brook in Lordship Recreation ground should be culverted.
Closet Accommodation.
Closet accommodation in the Borough is on the water carriage
system. There are many instances, however, where a single water
closet in a house is shared by two or more families, and when circumstances
permit, energetic action must be taken to relieve these
unsatisfactory conditions.
Housing.
The repair of war damage continued to be the responsibility of
the Public Health Department until the end of June, but with the
cessation of hostilities in Europe the commencement of temporary
housing, and the consequent redistribution of labour to provide for
all types of building work, arrangements were made for the Borough
Engineer's Department to take over war damage repairs.
Clearance Areas and repair of insanitary houses.
The continued postponement of action under Part III of the
Housing Act, 1936, with respect to properties represented by the
Council in 1939, has created difficulties which appear to have no
solution for some time to come. Had it not been for the war, these
properties—several hundred in number—would have been demolished
and the tenants rehoused in modern dwellings. The increasing
dilapidations at these houses during the war period, and the inability
to secure repairs other than for the abatement of urgent nuisances,
have created a problem demanding serious consideration in relation
to future policy regarding slum clearance.