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authority two months' written notice of proposals to discharge new or modified
trade effluents.
The Act defines "trade premises" as any premises used or intended to be
used for carrying on any trade or industry, and "trade effluent" as any liquid
either with or without particles of matter in suspension therein which is
wholly or in part produced in the course of any trade or industry carried on
at trade premises, and in relation to any trade premises any such liquid as
aforesaid which is so produced in the course of any trade or industry carried
on at those premises, but does not include domestic sewage.
The Council have decided that the responsibility for enforcing the provisions
of this Part of the Act should be divided as follows:-
(a) Public Health Committee (Public Health Department) provisions relating
to the nature or composition of trade effluents discharged into a public
sewer and the treatment thereof to eliminate harmful matter.
(b) Works and Open Spaces Committee (Borough Engineer and Surveyor's
Department) provisions relating to the consent of the Council with regard to
the discharge of trade effluents into a public sewer subject to conditions as
to times and rates of discharge and the maximum daily quantity of effluents.
The majority of premises of all types in the Borough are drained by the
combined system, that is to say both the surface water and sewage discharge
into the same drain, There are nine cesspools - taking the drainage of business
premises and four dwelling houses - in each case so situated that the
expense of running a sewer to allow for the connection of drainage would be
regarded as unreasonable These cesspools are emptied by the Borough Engineer
and Surveyor's Department once or twice a week as circumstances require, and
give no cause for complaint
The Public Health Department s drainage staff consists of a drainage
foreman (part-time), a working foreman, one driver and eight labourers. In
the main, the work undertaken is that of tracing and exposing drains under
Section 40 (1) and (2) of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, clearing
stoppages in emergencies, minor repairs to drains following the service of
notices under Section 40 (4) also tracing and assisting in the smoking of
rat runs and the removal of offensive refuse from vacant sites.
PUBLIC HEALTH (LONDON) ACT 1936
The principal sections of this Act which are invoked by the Public Health
Department in connection with drainage are:
SECTION 34 (Drainage By-laws) By laws made by the London County Council
under this section regulate the dimensions form and mode of construction, and
the maintenance cleansing and repair of pipes, drains and other means of
communication with sewers and the traps and apparatus connected therewith.
These by-laws require persons about to construct, reconstruct, or alter pipes,
drains or other means of communication with the sewer, to deposit plans of the
proposed work with the Sanitary Authority , to whom 24 hours'notice in writing
must be given before any drainage work is begun; they also require owners to
maintain in a proper state of repair and in proper working order all drainage
work in or in connection with any house or building,
A total of 61 plans of proposed works of construction of new drains to
existing buildings, or reconstruction or alteration of existing drainage
systems were approved by the Public Health Committee.
Formal notices were served in respect of contraventions of these by-laws
at 154 premises. Legal proceedings were instituted in eleven instances,
including one case of failure to give notice to the Council before carrying
out drainage work In respect of ten summonses penalties were imposed and/or
costs awarded to the Council; the defendant in the remaining case was granted
an absolute discharge on payment of costs.