Sydenham drainage, &c. Reports and estimates, / by Messrs Donaldson and Gotto, Assistant Surveyors. 2nd June, 1849.

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

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sydenham drainage, &c. Reports and estimates, / by Messrs Donaldson and Gotto, Assistant Surveyors. 2nd June, 1849. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    17/20 (page 11)
    11 But with the house drainage alone (including of course some portion of surface water from roofs and yards which contains foul matter) the quantity for which a means of conveyance and application to the land has to be provided would be nearly constant, and consequently easily managed and under control, while the quality would, of course, be many times more concentrated and generally uniform. The surface of the lands adjacent is favourable for the application of the sewage water to fields on a lower level along the valley of the Ravensbourne by gravitation; but unfor¬ tunately these lands are all so wet, that until they have been thoroughly drained the sew¬ age water could not profitably be applied to them. In this state of matters, we beg to recommend the adoption of means for extracting the solid fertilising matter chemically or by precipitation from the sewage water; the quantity of sewage not being sufficiently great to justify the erection of machinery for pump¬ ing it to any other locality. As, however, similar works would be executed in adjacent places, it would be found desirable to carry down the sides of the streams and rivers cul¬ verts to intercept and collect the sewage of such places ; and these recommendations have been proposed with this view. In the mean time, recourse has been had to the following alternative:— We are given to understand that an offer will be made to pay for the sewage after the rate of 2s. 6d. per ton of solid matter extracted, which we calculate would produce an income, with even the present number of houses, of 150Z. per annum at the least, and no outlay by the Commissioners would be required, as the parties would erect at their own expense the necessary works. In conclusion, we recommend that the whole area draining into the Ravensbourne River be declared, under the 34th section of the Metropolitan Sewers Act, a separate sewerage district, and called the Ravensbourne District ,* and that the more limited drainage area which comprehends Sydenham be declared, under the 35th section of the Act, a subdivision, and called the Sydenham Division. That a special sewers rate be made, under the 81 st section of the Act, upon the Syden¬ ham Division of that district, to defray the expenses of the surface drainage and main sewerage. That an improvement rate be made, under the 82nd section of the Act, for house drainage, &c. That the requisite amount of money be borrowed, under the 106th section of the Act, upon the credit of these rates. SUMMARY OF EXPENSES. SPECIAL SEWERS RATE. Estimate for road and land drainage - Estimate for main sewer pipes, &c. - It will require to pay off this amount in 22 years, with 5 per cent, interest Deduct income from sewage manure - Amount of annual rate required - £1,629 0 0 3,553 0 0 £5,182 0 0 £336 16 7 150 0 0 £186 16 7