Dr. Blaxall's report to the local government board on the sanitary condition of Plymouth.

  • Blaxall, F. H.
Date:
1879
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. Blaxall's report to the local government board on the sanitary condition of Plymouth. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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    The flushing of the sewers would seem to be a point altogether neglected, although I understand that the water of the waste leat might be utilised for this purpose at two or three different places. As regards the ventilation :— The sewers and drains are virtually void of systematic ventilation, there being only about six or seven ventilating shafts. These are placed on the eastern and western main sewers; but no such:provision has been made for the rest of the sewers. Recently, however, in compliance with a loudly-expressed wish on the part of the public, the Sanitary Authority have consulted an engineer as to the best means of providing for this ventilation. From the foregoing statements it is obvious that the drains are very defective and imperfect, causing, from faulty construction and other circumstances, much soil saturation and atmospheric pollution, the latter becoming locally dangerous from the want of due ventilation of the sewers. The surveyor informs me that before laying down new sewers it has been the custom to submit the plans to the Sanitary Authority, and when these have been approved he has supervised the construction of sewers; but no supervision has been exercised over the junction of house-drains with the sewers, a very grave omission, seeing that the efficiency of house drainage is, in a great degree, dependent upon such connexion being properly effected. The Water Supply is derived from the hills of Dartmoor, and passes into the town by gravitation. The gathering area covers about 4,000 acres, whence issue various streams which, uniting, form the River Meavy. This river is dammed and the water diverted into a channel known as the “ Plymouth leat,” which runs open from the weir-head to the reservoir at Knackersknowle, whence the water is conveyed by iron pipes to a second reservoir at Hartley, and thence to the town of Plymouth, in all a distance of about 14 miles. The water is then distributed by branch mains to various localities, one going to the citadel at the east end of the Hoe ; another to the Admiralty reservoir, for the supply of the Marine Barracks and Victualling Yard at Stonehouse ; a third to the Drake reservoir on the Tavistock Road, for the supply of the town, with the exception of parts and suburbs situated above the level of the reservoir, which obtain their water direct from the main in its course from Hartley to Plymouth ; and a fourth branch affords a supply to certain mills when water can be spared for the purpose. Drake reservoir is situated at 150 feet above sea level. The water is delivered at high pressure, and can be carried to the summit of most of the houses. Since 1874 the supply has been on the continuous system, and the water is said to be laid on to each house, save where houses are clustered together in a small court, when one stand- pipe is made to serve for the whole number, and, so far as my observation went, this afforded a convenient and abundant supply. The water-mains consist of iron pipes, but the small service pipes are of lead. With regard to the purity of the water :— (1.) At its source. The catchment basin rises to a height of about 1,300 feet above the sea. The soil is of a granitic character, and the area said to be almost without inhabitants, consisting chiefly of pasture land and a small proportion of arable land, which is not highly cultivated. From the weir-head to the reservoir at Knackers- knowle the water, as already stated, runs in an open leat, passing in its course through the village of Iloborough, and subsequently in the vicinity of a clump of five or six cottages. The houses in the village with one exception being at a lower level, and the slope of the land away from the leat, drainage from them cannot endanger the water, but not so as regards the privies belonging to the clump of cottages; these being at a higher level, suggest danger. Special provision has been made to protect the leat from road washings, but doubtless in its course through fields there is exposure to pollution from fouling by cattle and from surface impurities, the fall of the land in some localities being towards the leat and very rapid. Moreover, the inhabitants in the neighbourhood of the leat derive their supply direct from this source, thereby suggesting possible risk of pollution through the casual emptying into it of vessels and such like contingencies. It is due, however, to Mr. Bellamy, the engineer in charge of the Waterworks, to state that, so far as precautionary measures can avail to protect an open watercourse, due vigilance has been exercised. There are no filtering beds, but upon the recommendation of Mr. Bellamy three sets of wire gratings of varying gauges have been constructed, through which the water passes into a small settling tank, thence through a bed of stone, and so on to the A3 W ater supply.