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55
It is obvious here that the effluent from the outfall at the time could not
have been at its maximum volume, for I have on a former occasion seen the
discharge from the outfall when it was quite black and extremely offensive in
smell.
Table XXIII., part B.—Is intended to show the effect of the pollution of
the Thames from the outfall at Barking, and the extent to which it extends
up the River.
No. 7 shows the analysis of the effluent taken at Barking, followed by a
sample at low water at Woolwich, and at the same spot at two hours' flood, four
hours' flood and high water.
Samples were also taken at low water at Greenwich and high water at
Greenwich, and at London Bridge four hours before high water, two hours
before high water, and at high water.
The samples taken at Woolwich show an increase of pollution from 0.1445
to .255. At Greenwich, from 0.102 to .272. At London Bridge, from
0.0765 to .170.
These all show a greatly increasing pollution with the flood tide, showing
that the pollution of the River at Barking and Crossness is brought up the
River during the flood tide as far as London Bridge.
General Conclusions.
The chief sources of pollution are
1. The River water as it comes over Teddington Weir, polluted by the
sewage effluent of Kingston and Surbiton.
2. Storm overflows of London County Council sewers.
3. Outfalls at Barking and Crossness—some 250,000,000 gallons daily.
4. Vessels and craft—
Negligible.
5. Discharge from sewers at Gravesend.
Military forts at Sheerness and elsewhere.
Negligible.
6. Leigh.on.Sea.
7. Southend.
8. Sheerness and West Minster, into Medway.
9. Sewage from Rochester and Chatham entering the River Medway.
There is, therefore, a considerable amount of sewage entering the River
Thames and Medway, but the general conditions of the water in the Thames
estuary within the district of the Port of London Sanitary Authority cannot
be considered as being in a state of serious pollution.