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(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. The nine cesspools still in use, taking the drainage of
four dwelling houses, two business premises, a civil defence centre, and
dressing rooms on playing fields, were emptied once or twice a week as circumstances
required, and again gave no cause for complaint.
The Public Health Department's drainage staff consists of a drainage foreman
(part-time), a working foreman, one driver, a handyman, and seven 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.
The Public Health Committee approved a total of 55 plans of proposed works
of construction of new drains to existing buildings, or reconstruction or
alteration of existing drainage systems.
Informal notices were served in respect of contraventions of these by-laws
at 154 premises, and in 80 of these cases it was necessary to serve formal
notices. Legal proceedings were instituted in 19 instances, and in respect of
15 summonses penalties were imposed and costs awarded to the Council. In
another case a penalty without costs was imposed. One summons was withdrawn
on payment of costs, the work having been carried out, and the remaining case
was not separately dealt with.
Pour of the nineteen cases related to failure to give notice to the
Council before carrying out drainage work, but one of these was withdrawn on
the defendant satisfying the Council that he himself had not carried out the
work.
SECTION 40 (Inspection of Drains). Sub-sections (1) and (2) of this section
give power to a local authority to inspect any drain and, after 24 hours'
notice in writing, for that purpose to enter premises at all reasonable times
by day and cause the ground to be opened wherever they think fit with the
proviso that in a case of emergency these powers may be exercised notwithstanding
that notice has not been given. In 190 instances drains were inspected
after service of the requisite notices.
Sub-section (4) of this section, as amended by the London County Council
(General Powers) Act, 1951, provides that if, upon inspection, any drain