240 REPORT — 1875. 



On, th'i Drainarja of the GUy and Countu of Bristol. Bi/ Frederick Asiimeab, 

 M.Inst. C'.E., Eiir/liie.'r and Sarveijor to the Saaitari/ Authority. 



The borougli of Bristol exteuds over au area of 4687 acres, or nearly 8 square 

 miles, containing- a population at the last Census in 1871 of 182,524, with an estimated 

 population of 196,186 in 1875, and about 120 miles of streets and roads. The 

 rateable value in 1875 was £739,045. Number of houses in 1871, 27,536. 



About the year 1803, the Bristol Doclc Company was formed for the purooso of 

 floating portions of the rivers Avon and Frome under the direction of Mr. William 

 Jessop^C.E., and on April 30, 1809, the works were set in operation. From that 

 date down to 1825 frequent complaints were made of the oflensive state of the 

 Frome part of the Harbom-, and the Doclc Company constructed the Culvert 

 known as Mylues Culvert in addition to the Bread-Street Culvert previously con- 

 sti-ucted. By means of these culverts a large quantity of sewage was removed 

 from the floating harbour, and discharged into the tidal river. 



These culverts, with the existing sewers in the old city and the new sewers 

 constructed by the late Surveyor to the Commissioners, JNIr. John j\a-mstroug, 

 Assoc.Inst.C.E., making a length of about 41 miles, completed the drainage 

 of the old city at the time of the adoption of " The Public Health Act " in 1851, 

 at which time the outlying districts of CUfton, Westbury, St. Philip and Jacob, 

 the District Parishes, and Bedminster were placed under one government, viz. the 

 Corporation of the City and County of Bristol, acting as the Local Board of Health, 

 since which time the management and control of the sowers of the whole district 

 has been entrusted to a Committee of the Coimcil elected annually. 



One of the first acts of this Committee was to ascertain the state of the drainage 

 of the whole borough with a view of improving the same ; and it was decided to 

 proceed Avitli the drainage gradually and in districts, as the best and cheapest 

 manner, this course being almost a necessity in consequence of the peculiarly 

 isolated position of parts of the borough, by reason of the rivers Avon and Frome 

 (floating harbour, locks, tidal basins, and other works) natm-ally dividing the whole 

 borouo-h into districts — the levels and dimensions of the sewers beino' so designed 

 and arranged as to form one continuous scheme, to be eventually united so as to 

 discharo'e the sewage of the whole borough at two points, one on each side of the 

 river, for deodorization or for continuing the same to the mouth of the river Avoji 

 to be hereafter determined; and for drainage purposes the borough has been 

 divided into six districts, viz. 1st, Clifton Iliyh Level; 2nd, Bedminster; 3rd, 

 Clifton Low Level; 4th, Saint rhilijj's; 5th, Tlte Frome Intercepting; 6th, T]ie 

 Avon Intcrcejitini/. 



Ist. Clifton Iligh-Level District. — Clifton has been divided into two districts, 

 viz. the High- and the Low-Level districts ; and the first undertaken was the High- 

 Level disti'ict. It includes the whole of tlie higher parts of Cliftyn, and parts of 

 Westbury and Cotliam, and is drained by means of a main sewer commencing in 

 Hampton Road, passing under White Ladies Road, along Alma Road under the 

 College grounds, and the Clifton Down Road, passing down the new zigzag to tlie 

 river Avon. Main branch servers are also constructed along the several main roads 

 of the district. 



2nd. Bedminster District. — The next district vmdertalcen was part of the parish 

 of Bedminster, and situate on the south side of the river Avon, which is drained 

 by the main sewer commencing in East Street, passing into and along Dean 

 Lane, under Nelson Terrace and Coronation Road to the tidal river, main branch 

 sewers being constructed along the several principal streets of the district; also 

 a separate sewer, called Parsons-Sti-eet sewer, was constructed for a portion of 

 this district, passing along Parsons Street under the main road to Bedminster 

 Down, along Duckmoor to the tidal river. 



3rd. Clifton Low-Level District. — The main sewer of this district may be called 

 an intercepting sewer, as it passes in nearly a parallel line with the floating 

 harbour and the river Avon ; it is also constructed sufficiently large to receive the 

 drainage from a portion of the Frome district to be hereafter described. 



It commences in Hotwell Road, near the bottom of Jacobs Wells Road, and 

 continues along Hotwell Road in front of Dowry Parade, St. Vincent's Parade, 



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