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8
SANITARY AREA.
PHYSICAL FEATURES—CHARACTER OF POPULATION.
The Urban District of Walthamstow has an area of 4,355 acres, and
lies between the River Lea on the west and Epping Forest on the east,
extending from Leyton on its south to Chingford on the North.
The sub-soil is mainly gravel, the London clay showing itself in
various parts on the surface, notably at Church Hill and portions of the
Hoe Street and Northern Wards adjoining.
There are two small streams—the Ching and the Dagenham Brook.
The former enters the district at Highams Park, in the Northen Ward,
and winds its sluggish course through Hale End and Chapel End to the
River Lea; the latter, the Dagenham Brook, is the outlet for the
drainage of the district, and, having received the effluent of the Sewage
Farm, winds its course through the neighbouring parish of Leyton, and
joins the River Lea near Temple Mills. The water of neither stream
at any point is used for drinking purposes.
The whole district has a duplicate system of sewers, and practically
every house water-closet accommodation. The sewage is received into
precipitating tanks, treated with lime and alum, the solids removed and
the effluent subsequently passed over the Farm before finally passing
out of the district.
The Sewage Farm, about 182 acres in extent, and the Sewage Works,
with the Refuse Destructor, are situated in the St. James Street Ward,
or western portion of the district.
The drinking water is supplied by the Metropolitan Water Board, and
is constant. The amount used per head per day is between 25 and 30
gallons.
The district is divided into five Wards for administrative purposes;
St. James Street, varying from 18 to 54 feet above ordnance datum;
High Street 21 to 60 feet; Hoe Street, 50 to 140 feet; Wood Street,
50 to 170 feet; and the Northern, from 25 to 220 feet.
The character of the population and its age distribution have undergone
but little change since 1901.