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Surface drainage in the south is mainly by soakaways in the chalk;
elsewhere it is by surface sewers to the River Wandle.
Three hundred and sixteen drainage obstructions affecting 1,186
houses were dealt with, mostly in respect of combined drainage systems.
Rivers and Streams
The County Council are responsible for the branch of the River
Wandle which flows through the district and the ponds which feed it
The higher rainfall of 1054 brought a return of some of the natural
springs which had failed in the latter part of 1053.
No complaints were received during the year in respect of rivers
and streams.
Closet Accomodation
The position with regard to domestic sanitary conveniences remains
the same. All dwellings have w.c.'s connected to the sewers except
17 houses in unsewered areas which have water carriage systems connected
to 13 cesspools. There are no earth closets.
Public Cleansing
No alteration has been made in the arrangements for refuse collection ,
and salvage. Collection is by a fleet of modern vehicles fitted with
hydraulic tipping gears. Disposal is by incineration in a six-cell destructor
The provision of adequate tipping sites for clinker and screenings
within a reasonable distance is becoming a problem. At the present,
such tipping is done at the Barrow Hedges site where the ground level
is being raised to form future school playing fields, but this work is
nearing completion.
Sanitary Inspection
The following information supplied by the Chief Sanitary Inspector
under Article 27 of the Sanitary Officers' Regulations, 1935, indicates
the action taken in sanitary inspection during the year.
Investigations were made with regard to 1,371 complaints as follows:
Accumulations 29
Animals so kept 4
Burst pipes 15
Dampness 32
Drainage defects 56
Drains obstructed 327
Dustbins 182
Food contaminated 16
General defective conditions 88
Insects and Pests 104
Milk, contaminated and dirty bottles 2
Miscellaneous 35
Obnoxious effluvia 23
Overcrowding 21
Refuse collections 10
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