696 TOWN SANITATION, 
banked off, and the land behind is being gradually levelled up. 
Port Adelaide proper has a honeycomb clay bottom, through 
which the tides ebb and flow. Above is a layer of sand, rubbish 
of various descriptions, and limestone silt, deposited from the 
dredgings of the harbour. The western side has a hard clay 
bottom, with a varying thickness of sand overlaid. Fresh 
water is easily obtained in this sand. The eastern portion is the 
old section of the town, and still retains among its modern and 
substantial stone erections some of the primitive structures, 
consisting of wood and galvanised iron. Some of these are highly 
insanitary, being on the original swamp level, and now below the 
surrounding street level. On the western site, while one portion 
is unsatisfactory from very imperfect drainage and damp, the 
houses on the whole are modern and substantially built, and free 
from the unwholesome surroundings which affect the Port proper. 
The water supply is mainly derived from the same source as 
the City of Adelaide, viz., the reservoirs at the Torrens and Hope 
valleys. The supply is very pure. The reticulation area, however, 
does not extend to many of the more distant houses. These 
obtain their supplies either from the roofs or surface wells. The 
water in these wells being secured by soakage, is liable to contami- 
nation. Outbreaks of typhoid or bowel derangement have been 
traced to them. 
The refuse water is conveyed in open water-tables to the 
harbour. Sludge boxes, 2ft. x lft. 6in..x 2ft., are placed in 
the course of these water-tables at the entrance to all culverts 
and drains, and are periodically cleaned out. It is estimated 
that at least 12 miles of these open drains has been constructed. 
The site of the town being very little over the sea level, the 
carrying out of a system of deep drainage would be very costly. 
On the Semaphore, or western side, few streets, and consequently 
few water-tables, have been fully constructed. The refuse water 
is here allowed to pass into the sand, which, in view of the wells 
above referred to, as well as the pollution of the soil, constitutes 
a highly objectionable practice. It is a happy circumstance for 
the health of the residents, as well as an attractive feature of the 
locality, that a large number of trees and shrubs are planted 
every year. They thrive well, and absorb the accumulated foul 
soakage which lies on the clay bottom underneath the surface. 
Dry refuse is removed weekly by itinerating carts, under a 
contract with the local board. It is employed to fill up low-lying 
levels alongside of the swampy ground to the north. The Cor- 
poration have at times allowed it to be used for fillmg up hollow 
sites in the town itself. The Health Officer states that in 1888 
he attributed an outbreak of 15 cases of typhoid fever to this 
cause 
Cesspits are chiefly used. In about 50 instances earth-closets 
have superseded the cesspit, and where properly attended to have 
