Report on the efficiency and working conditions of the tubes laid down in open ditches since the 1st of January, 1849 / By John Grant, Assistant Surveyor. April 30th, 1849.

  • London (England). Metropolitan Commission of Sewers.
Date:
[1849]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report on the efficiency and working conditions of the tubes laid down in open ditches since the 1st of January, 1849 / By John Grant, Assistant Surveyor. April 30th, 1849. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Twelve closet junctions have been made with this sewer, but ten still remain open. Until measures be taken for compelling the proper drainage of these buildings, the attention of the Parish Officers should be called to this state of things, which comes within the powers conferred on them by the “ Nuisances Removal Act.” In all the other sewers the surface is in an improved state, except at particular spots, where filth accumulates from the privies situated on the top, which have no proper connexion ; and where water collects from the sinks; but throughout the greater part of their length, dry ashes and earth have been thrown on the top of the pipes. F It would add very much to the improvement effected if, where this has not already been done, the ground on the top of the sewers could be filled in to the level of the adjoining land; but as this would add considerably to the cost, and these sewers are laid for-a temporary purpose, I hesitate to recommend it. Notes of each are inserted in the column of “ Remarks” in the Table. Throughout these sewers, about a fourth of the number of closets and privies adjoining have been connected with them. These connections have been made by the parties themselves, through private bricklayers. The greater number are nearly at right angles to the line of sewer, and one or two against the stream. In some cases the privies are from 30 to 80 feet from the line of sewer, and merely the overflow of the cesspools runs into it. There are several instances in the sewers numbered in Tables 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10 11, and 14, of unconnected privies. All these junctions with the privies should be made good immediately by the owners of the adjoining property, as the filth from them lying outside the sewer will in time cause nearly as great a nuisance as at first, besides endangering the efficiency of the sewer by its dropping, in an undi¬ luted state, into the unprotected junctions. The sinks are all untrapped. GENERAL CONCLUSIONS. That in every case but one the interiors of the sewer tubes were found clear of deposit and in good working condition. That in the exceptional case, the sewer (in Hickman s Folly) was cleared of half of its deposit. by a few hours flushing; the more immediate cause of deposit being an accumulation of stones, admitted by an open privy. This sewer may be kept perfectly clean and efficient by a similar flushing once or twice a month, which I beg respectfully to recommend. That the faulty connections made by private bricklayers show stronglv the necessity of the most minute details of a perfect system of drainage being executed under one management, and the most vigilant supervision of the Officers of the Court. That, on the whole, the state of these temporary works may be reported as very satisfactory, and that the general tenor of the answers to my inquiries among the inhabitants was, that the sewers have effected a very great improvement, the chief partial, exception to this being in the case of the Sewer (No. 2) in King’s Head yard, in which the improvement may be made as great as in the others, by causing the owners of the property to put closet pans in connection with the sewer, as their neighbours on the opposite side of the sewer have already done. Sewers Office, 1 Greek street, Soho square, 30th April, 1849. JOHN GRANT,