SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 453 



Barmouth has a population which varies from about 

 2,500 in winter to 5,000 in summer. It is served by two 

 main sewers, one (No. 1) which has its outfall about one 

 mile north from the harbour, and another (No. 2) which 

 has its outfall in the channel close to the harbour. 

 There are also some houses east from the railway bridge 

 which appear to be too low to drain into the sewer 

 discharging by No. 2 outfall, and these are separately 

 drained directly into the estuary. The main outfall 

 (No. 1) consists of three pipes, but two of these appear 

 to discharge surface or storm water only. The outfall 

 from the chief pipe is well below low water of spring 

 tides. The sewage itself probably is carried well out to 

 sea, but there are indications of the backwash of some 

 organic matter in the abundant growth of green algse on 

 the stones of the beach near the outfall. This sewer 

 serves about half of the population. 



The other sewer (No. 2) discharges into the harbour. 

 Its end is marked by a buoy which is placed about 400- 

 500 feet to the east of Trwyn-y-Gwaith. The outfall is 

 always covered at low water of spring tides. Hound 

 the outfall the water of the harbour is very noticeably 

 discoloured by the discharge, and there is a strong smell 

 of sewage. This sewer serves about one-half of the 

 population. 



Both sewers discharge an untreated effluent. 



Mussels are found on the bottom of the channel near 

 the harbour, round the end of the breakwater called 

 Trwyn-y-Gwaith, and in close proximity to the sewer 

 outfall. I was informed that these mussels bad been 

 sent to the public markets. There arc mussels on the 

 shore near Barmouth Bridge, and on the piers of the 

 bridge itself. There are also mussels on the bed of the 

 channel on the northern side, and From the bridge to 



