[Report 1950] / Medical Officer of Health, Rugby Borough.

  • Rugby (England). Borough Council.
Date:
1950
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1950] / Medical Officer of Health, Rugby Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    18/44 (page 16)
    Drainage and Sewerage. Practically the whole of the borough is drained to the public sewerage system, and in the majority of cases the foul and surface water systems are separate, or partially separate. There are two sewage disposal works, one for Hillmorton and the other situated at Newbold, for the remainder of the borough. Apart from Newbold, Brownsover and the B.T.H. Works, all sewerage is by gravita¬ tion. The dry weather flow at the Main Works is 1,630,000 gallons and at Hillmorton 180,000 gallons. In each works the method of treatment is by settling tanks, perco¬ lating filters followed by humus tanks, with a certain amount of land irrigation. Analyses of the final effluent from the main works give results ranging from 10-23 parts per million suspended matter (Total) ; 5-8 to 9-8 parts per million oxygen absorbed (4 hours at 27°C.) ; and T2-18 parts per million Biological Oxygen Demand (5 days at 18-3°C.). These results can be considered reasonably satisfactory, but a scheme for the provision of additional works to cope with the increased amount of sewage has provisionally been approved by the Ministry of Health. During the year a scheme for sewering houses in the Crick Road and Alwyn Road areas has been approved by the Ministry of Health. Refuse Collection and Disposal. The collection of refuse has proceeded reasonably satisfactorily and collection is made approximately every 10 days. The shortage of labour, however, is still marked. The Refuse Destructor is closed temporarily, and all refuse is disposed of by controlled tipping at two tips on the outskirts of the borough. From time to time considerable fly breeding has taken place and the assistance of the Health Department has been sought to keep the infestations under control. This has been effectively achieved by the use of Gammexane dust spread over the tipping face and upon the levelled refuse. This dressing has also achieved complete control of crickets. Scavenging. All the carriageways in the built-up portion of the borough are swept by a mechanical sweeper, the centre daily and the remainder fortnightly. In addition 29 street scavengers are employed to deal with the footpaths and the general cleanliness of the streets. Gullies are cleansed mechanically, and the vehicle is used alternate weeks in the flushing of sewers and on gully cleansing. All sewers are flushed at least once a fortnight and gullies cleansed 7 times per year. Swimming Pools. The Regent Street Baths has provision for 29 slipper baths in addition to the swimming pool of a capacity of approx. 85,000 gallons. The water is filtered by a Royles filtration plant, using alumina and soda, and chlorinated before entering the pool—the turnover period is 4 hrs. Samples taken at intervals during the year proved the water of satisfactory organic and bacterial purity, and suitable for swimming bath purposes. The total number of bathers during the year was 76,700.