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.

    12/20 (page 8)
    securely fixed, and of such construction as to perfectly trap the sewer pipe, and admit of no obstruction to the system. There would be 5 miles and one-third of main-sewers pipe, and nearly 5 miles in house drains. 446 cesspools to be abolished. 505 water-closets to be constructed. The estimate for the main-sewer pipes and compensation for damage to land, &c. is 3,553/. The cost of the house drainage would be 2,948/. ZD ' The average cost for draining a house, including the drains for house sewage, yard, and roof water, water-closet apparatus, and laying on the water to the same (the main pipes of both sewage and water supply being in the street) would be about 4/. 18s.—which, distributed over 22 years, with interest at 5 per cent, would be reduced to 6s. 4kl. per annum, or l|d. per week. Existing houses of the lower class have privies: the first outlay for the cesspools and seat is about 21. 5s., and the annual expense of maintaining the same in repair and emptying the cesspool is about 1/. 2s. 6d. per house per annum, perpetually. The proposed arrangement requires no first outlay, and an annual expense of only 8s. 6|d. which would cease in 22 years. This estimate includes destroying the cess¬ pool, substituting a water-closet pan and fitting up the same, laying proper drains, as well as the proportion of the expense for main sewers, road drainage, and other general sanitary improvements, except laying on the water. But the present more expensive system involves open and overflowing cesspools, with filthy ditches, which make it indispensable that the privy should be removed as far as possible and at a very inconvenient distance from the dwelling-house. Again, in the larger houses, the more wealthy inhabitants have substituted the water-closet for the common privy. This is done, of course, at an increased expense for the water-closet apparatus and overflow brick drain, the whole cost of which is about 15/. 2s. as a first and immediate outlay, besides a constant and annual expense for emptying the cesspool and repairs of about 1/. 12s. 6d. In such a case, more efficient works, as now proposed, will cost only 15s. 5d. per house per annum for 22 years, including, as before, the expense of the main public sewers, the abolition of the open offensive ditches, and other improvements of a general nature. In some instances a very large cesspool has been constructed in connexion with each house. These do not require emptying every year, but the first expense is very heavy, and however superior in point of convenience to the more common sort, they effect no eco¬ nomy, and as means of accumulating the elements of disease, are in all cases dangerous appendages to houses, and constant sources of discomfort. The attention of persons about to enter into large building projects cannot be too strongly drawn to this subject.