[Report 1954] / Medical Officer of Health, Chailey (Union) R.D.C.

  • Chailey (England). Rural District Council.
Date:
1954
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1954] / Medical Officer of Health, Chailey (Union) R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    10/32 (page 8)
    During the year 681 linear yards of extensions to water mains were laid. Your Council is a very progressive one, and have always endeavoured to supply two of the basic essentials of public health, namely, a pure and wholesome water supply and up-to-date sewage disposal systems, wherever and whenever these could be accomplished. There have been many difficulties, especially as regards the establishment of sewage works, but the blame for any delays cannot be laid upon the Council. At Wivelsfield new sewage disposal works and the laying of sewers were completed. A sewage disposal scheme was almost completed at Beddingham. Various delays have been experienced (and borne patiently) relating to sewage disposal schemes in other parishes. At Plumpton there has been practically no progress. Kingston Village is crying out for a proper sewage disposal system on account of the constantly recurring nuisances of fouled ditches, objectionable smells and the very real danger to public health through the present antiquated broken-down system. Formal consent has been obtained from the Minister concerning the latter scheme, but consent as to the date to commence the work is still forthcoming. Small sewage disposal plants were completed at South Heighton. The prize for delay in establishing a proper sewage disposal system is in connection with the unfortunate village of Rodmell. A Public Enquiry was held in Rodmell about four years ago. So far the scheme has not received Ministerial approval. The present conditions in the village are truly horrible. In contemplating the disposal of human excreta one has in mind the following viewpoints—the hygienic, the aesthetic and the economic. Dealing with Rodmell, here we have a village where the pail closet system still exists, with all its dangers and nauseousness. The worst feature, however, is that of raw sewage draining to an open ditch—an offence against the Public Health Act, 1936, and an offence to the nostrils as well. Worse still, there is always a considerable danger to public health. I have observed children playing in or near the sewage-laden ditch. It is important to emphasise that the village is mainly a milk-producing one. The hazard of infecting the milk with dangerous pathogenic organisms cannot be conveniently forgotten. I am not sure to whom the prize for the delay in establishing a proper sewage disposal system in Rodmell should be awarded. Anyhow, if ever there is a village crying out for an up-to-date sewage disposal system Rodmell is one. Even the sewage itself in the ditch cries to high heaven. Literally hundreds of new houses are being constructed or are in the course of construction in Peacehaven and Telscombe Cliffs and there are likely to be hundreds more in the future. Cesspools form the only system of sewage disposal in the vast majority of cases. Constant complaints are received about leaking and overflowing cesspools. The cesspools have, over the years, very effectively made the ground surrounding them sodden with sewage and there are thousands of them. The increased number of new houses will only aggra- vate the soil pollution as nearly all cesspools leak sooner or later. It is really high time that the two parishes had the amenities of town dwellers as they combine to make what is almost an urbanised area. One of the amenities is the proper disposal of sewage. In order to prevent the recurrence of the brown-tailed moth infestation which spread over Peacehaven and Telscombe Cliffs in the previous year, treatment of bushes, etc., likely to harbour the pest was carried out in the early