ON THE BIEMINGHAM, TAME, AND REA DISTRICT DRAINAGE. 503 



cepting sewers, and the Rural Sanitary Authority of King's Norton, after 

 arranging with the Corporation of Birminghana for an outlet through 

 their main sewer, constiiicted the intercepting sewers for the drainage of 

 portions of its district. For those portions of the Drainage District that 

 could not conveniently be brought down to the common outlet at Saltley, 

 the Corporation of Birmingham constructed the sewer for accommodating 

 the area draining to the Cole comprised in the districts of Birmingham, 

 Balsall Heath, King's Norton, and Aston Rural, this sewer being tun- 

 nelled across the ridge dividing the watersheds of the Tame and Cole, 

 and discharging on to the new farm. The Aston Rural Sanitary Autho- 

 rity constructed the sewer for the drainage of Sutton Coldfield, this sewer 

 also discharging on to the new farm. 



As the result of the intercepting works just described, the whole of 

 the populated areas of the Drainage District, with one exception, are now 

 placed in communication with the outfall works. The one exception is 

 the district of Smethwick, which, being situated at the summit of the 

 watershed, has had to await the development of the intercepting system ; 

 but it is believed that arrangements are contemplated whereby this diffi- 

 culty will be shortly removed. 



In the meantime, pending the completion of these intercepting 

 arrangements, the Drainage Board had been proceeding with the very 

 important duty of extending its outfall works so as to meet efficiently the 

 additional strain that would in due course be brought upon them. It had 

 been generally understood at the time the Board was formed that an 

 extension of the outfall works would be necessary, and after due consider- 

 ation it was decided that the application of the sewage to land after 

 partial treatment by lime, and in the tanks, would be the most satisfactory 

 method of purification. The Board accordingly directed its attention to 

 the acquisition of the required area of land. An opportunity that pre- 

 sented itself in 1880 of obtaining the unexpired term of 102 years 

 of a lease of 96 acres of suitable land at Tyburn, about 2^ miles 

 below the existing tanks, was embraced, and shortly after a lease for 

 99 years of 123 acres of adjoining land was obtained, while 250 acres of 

 freehold from the Right Honourable the Earl of Bradford, 350 acres from 

 the trustees of W". W. Bagot, Esq., and 118 acres from various other 

 owners were acquired by mutual arrangement, and more recently a further 

 plot of 18| acres has been leased from the Right Honourable Lord Norton 

 for 21 years, thus making a total of 955^ acres of additional land, or, 

 including the land already occupied by the Board at Saltley, a total area 

 of 1,227 acres available for works of sewage disposal. The rent of the 

 leasehold land is at the rate of 4>l. per acre, and the average cost of the 

 freehold, including timber, buildings, mill rights, tenants' compensation, 

 law charges, &c., 152Z. per acre. 



The nature of the land is very favourable for the purification of sewage, 

 the natural surface of the gi'ound being, as a rule, even and unbroken, and 

 the level such as to admit of the irrigation of the whole by gravitation, 

 with the exception of about 100 acres. The subsoil is gravel and sand, 

 varying from 6 feet to 10 feet in thickness. To reduce the risk of flooding 

 from the river the Board removed the mills and weir, and straightened the 

 river at Minworth at the lower end of the farm lands, thereby lowering 

 the water-level of the river several feet, and by the construction of outfall 

 cuts, carried to suitable outlets into the river, the subsoil drains are placed 

 beyond the influence of backwater, the result being that no inconvenience 



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