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12
The house drains in modern property are in good condition.
Many of the older houses have been brought into accord with the
By-laws and opportunity is taken from time to time to get this
done. Some trouble arises from the system of combined drains in
certain districts. It is to be hoped that the law on this matter
will be amended shortly, so that the present difficulties may be
done away, thus obviating expensive law processes.
The sewage on arrival at the works is deodorized before
pumping by mixture with Charcoal and Clay. It is then
precipitated with Sulphate of Aluminia, manufactured on the
Works, in eight large settling tanks and is then conveyed through
percolating filters before discharged into the Thames.
The tank capacity is 1,200,000 gallons, and the filter capacity
7,566 cubic yards.
The average daily flow from Kingston (pop. 39,000) and
Hampton Wick (pop. 4,000) is about 1,640,000 gallons, equal to
39 gallons per head of population.
The sludge from the tanks is pressed. The treatment is
known as the A.B.C. and at the works are under the sole control
of the Corporation. The sludge is barged away by the Native
Guano Co. who complete the process elsewhere.
Dr. Gilbert Fowler, of Manchester, describes the Kingston
effluent as "perhaps the most brilliant clarified effluent produced
in this country."
A large storm overflow tank has been installed, thereby preventing
the discharge of untreated sewage into the river, on the
occasions of heavy rainfall.
There is vacant land available for still further increasing the
filtration area, and more settlement tanks could be provided, if
necessary. The process shows itself to be increasingly satisfactory
in comparison with other systems installed elsewhere, whether on