Richard Dye
master brummie
Wonderful video, just something so special about the steamer!
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Sewage farms
- Thread starter mw0njm.
- Start date
devonjim
master brummie
I watched this youtube presentation which gave an encouraging account of what can be achieved. Compare this with the sad picture displayed in the recent Paul Whitehouse programmes "Our Troubled Rivers"
Richard Dye
master brummie
Totally agree, the capability and wherewithal is there, however as they say that step has to be taken and it seems from reading the posts, the willingness to pay for it is missing!
Pedrocut
Master Barmmie
Minworth Sewage Treatment Works - Wikimapia
Minworth Sewage Treatment Works Records show that a simple form of sewage treatment was carried out on the Minworth site, as early as 1870. This consisted of running sewage over fields and farming the land. As Birmingham expanded rapidly during the industrial revolution, sewers were laid to...wikimapia.org
The link to Minworth Sewage Farm gives the use as early As 1870. But Janet's post 29 informs that the land was acquired in 1881 and 1888 from Bagley family in order to increase the acreage of the existing farm at Salley.
Dionysius//88
master brummie
My ver y good friend and mentor worked at Walsall sewage plant when he was doing his apprenticeship in the 60's he wired some of it and watch it in operation while working . I would ask the forum is anybody watching the very gifted actor, fisherman, impressionist Paul Whitehouse and his quest on British rivers . A very informative and no punches pulled dodummentary about the vast profit's made by water companies and they are still failing us , it's worth a look .
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Heartland
master brummie
There has been a thread on the canal page regarding transport of night soil by boat to various canal wharves for distribution by the farmers.
Birmingham, it seems, adopted a progressive approach from the early 1850's towards the transport of sewage. That began with the making of interception sewers that transported sewage to the Tame and certain farmers began to irrigate their fields with river water. Sewage in the Tame came from a variety of sources along the north and south branches of the Tame and did little for the fish etc that were there.
The 1862 report to Parliament has the following extract explaining its inception
1305. Mr. Adderley. ] You are the Borough Surveyor of Birmingham ?—I am.
1306. Will you describe the system of sewage in operation at Birmingham?-The system of sewerage for the town is a combined one, of brick and pipes.
1307. When was it made ?—I think that, perhaps, I had better first state that, prior to 1851 , Birmingham was divided into five districts, each having different Boards of Commissioners.
1308. Was it in the year 1851 that the new system of sewerage, with brick and pipes, was commenced ?-The system was partially commenced by one of the five bodies which I have mentioned, namely, by the Commissioners of the Street Acts before 1851 , and the Council in 1851 obtained the control of the whole, and commenced to carry out a general system.
1309. In what year did the new system of sewerage come into operation ?-It was commenced about 1852 ; it is not completed at the present time.
1310. Did Birmingham, for the first time, discharge all its sewers into the adjoining river in the year 1852 ?—About 1853.
1311. Chairman. ] That is to say, all the houses which were drained ?-All the houses which were drained ; they were main sewers which were constructed, what we call intercepting sewers ; they picked up the whole of the smaller sewers which then discharged into the rivers and brooks, so that in point of fact the bulk of the sewage of the town was delivered into the Tame at that time.
1312. Mr. Adderley. ] In 1853 ?—Yes.
1313. That was the end of the cesspool system in Birmingham?-It was the beginning of the end, we have not come to the end of it yet.
1314. There are still cesspools in Birmingham which do not discharge into the Tame ?—Yes, very many.
The use of the water closet seems to have been for those that could afford it and thus that form of sewage only formed a part of the disposal of sewage and was an improvement on the cesspool system
Night soil was once a common form that was collected from the outside toilet areas by cart for distribution to farmers, but also came the canal side depots that dealt with all forms of rubbish and night soil.
The gradual investment in ways to improve the disposal of sewage led to the creation of the sewage farm, such as existed at Saltley.
Birmingham, it seems, adopted a progressive approach from the early 1850's towards the transport of sewage. That began with the making of interception sewers that transported sewage to the Tame and certain farmers began to irrigate their fields with river water. Sewage in the Tame came from a variety of sources along the north and south branches of the Tame and did little for the fish etc that were there.
The 1862 report to Parliament has the following extract explaining its inception
1305. Mr. Adderley. ] You are the Borough Surveyor of Birmingham ?—I am.
1306. Will you describe the system of sewage in operation at Birmingham?-The system of sewerage for the town is a combined one, of brick and pipes.
1307. When was it made ?—I think that, perhaps, I had better first state that, prior to 1851 , Birmingham was divided into five districts, each having different Boards of Commissioners.
1308. Was it in the year 1851 that the new system of sewerage, with brick and pipes, was commenced ?-The system was partially commenced by one of the five bodies which I have mentioned, namely, by the Commissioners of the Street Acts before 1851 , and the Council in 1851 obtained the control of the whole, and commenced to carry out a general system.
1309. In what year did the new system of sewerage come into operation ?-It was commenced about 1852 ; it is not completed at the present time.
1310. Did Birmingham, for the first time, discharge all its sewers into the adjoining river in the year 1852 ?—About 1853.
1311. Chairman. ] That is to say, all the houses which were drained ?-All the houses which were drained ; they were main sewers which were constructed, what we call intercepting sewers ; they picked up the whole of the smaller sewers which then discharged into the rivers and brooks, so that in point of fact the bulk of the sewage of the town was delivered into the Tame at that time.
1312. Mr. Adderley. ] In 1853 ?—Yes.
1313. That was the end of the cesspool system in Birmingham?-It was the beginning of the end, we have not come to the end of it yet.
1314. There are still cesspools in Birmingham which do not discharge into the Tame ?—Yes, very many.
The use of the water closet seems to have been for those that could afford it and thus that form of sewage only formed a part of the disposal of sewage and was an improvement on the cesspool system
Night soil was once a common form that was collected from the outside toilet areas by cart for distribution to farmers, but also came the canal side depots that dealt with all forms of rubbish and night soil.
The gradual investment in ways to improve the disposal of sewage led to the creation of the sewage farm, such as existed at Saltley.
Pedrocut
Master Barmmie
The Saltley Outfall (circa 1871)
“The discharge at the Saltley outfall, amounting to an ordinary Works dry weather flow of 17 million gallons daily, is dealt with in the following manner: The works consist of two complete sets of a series of simple subsiding tanks, by passing through which a great portion of the suspended matter is deposited. The sewage is turned into one set, and in about 14 days this is filled up with the deposited matters; the sewage is then turned into the other set, and the deposited matter in the former is removed.
The matter deposited in the first tank of each series is composed of the heavier portions of road detritus and coarser suspended matters; it is dried simply by the draining of the tank, and is then easily barrowed out. The road silt is separated as far as practicable, and is used for mending the farm roads, or otherwise got rid of. The rest is a good manure, and in a fit state to be at once carted away. It is sold at about Is. to 1s. 6d. per cart-load, and there is no difficulty in disposing of it.
The rest of the deposited matter, in the form of a black slush, of which a large proportion consists of the finer road silt, is chiefly deposited in the other tanks of the series. It is removed from the tanks by buckets on an endless chain, worked by steam power, and is run upon the adjoining land in large beds to dry, a process which occupies about nine months. It is then sold for manure, at £1 per boat-load-about 27 tons--loaded at the expense of the Corporation.
The effluent water passing into the river Tame pollutes it, and at has given rise to the injunction obtained by the Right Hon. Sir C. B. Adderley, M.P.
The nuisance arising from the drying of the deposited slush has given rise to the injunction obtained by the inhabitants of Gravelly Hill.”
“The discharge at the Saltley outfall, amounting to an ordinary Works dry weather flow of 17 million gallons daily, is dealt with in the following manner: The works consist of two complete sets of a series of simple subsiding tanks, by passing through which a great portion of the suspended matter is deposited. The sewage is turned into one set, and in about 14 days this is filled up with the deposited matters; the sewage is then turned into the other set, and the deposited matter in the former is removed.
The matter deposited in the first tank of each series is composed of the heavier portions of road detritus and coarser suspended matters; it is dried simply by the draining of the tank, and is then easily barrowed out. The road silt is separated as far as practicable, and is used for mending the farm roads, or otherwise got rid of. The rest is a good manure, and in a fit state to be at once carted away. It is sold at about Is. to 1s. 6d. per cart-load, and there is no difficulty in disposing of it.
The rest of the deposited matter, in the form of a black slush, of which a large proportion consists of the finer road silt, is chiefly deposited in the other tanks of the series. It is removed from the tanks by buckets on an endless chain, worked by steam power, and is run upon the adjoining land in large beds to dry, a process which occupies about nine months. It is then sold for manure, at £1 per boat-load-about 27 tons--loaded at the expense of the Corporation.
The effluent water passing into the river Tame pollutes it, and at has given rise to the injunction obtained by the Right Hon. Sir C. B. Adderley, M.P.
The nuisance arising from the drying of the deposited slush has given rise to the injunction obtained by the inhabitants of Gravelly Hill.”
Pedrocut
Master Barmmie
Saltley Sewage Farm (circa 1871)
”In order to complete this description, it should be added that in 1867 it was resolved to make an experiment on the utilisation of Birmingham sewage by irrigation, and land was accordingly taken in the neighbourhood of the Saltley outfall for this purpose…
The land is irrigated with raw sewage taken direct from the mains. A portion only is drained, and that to an insufficient depth, so that for the most part the effluent water passes over instead of through the land.
Moreover, the land lies low and near the river, in a position which renders it liable to floods, and unfit for sewage irrigation. The Committee have not been able to obtain information on the amount of sewage actually applied to the various crops grown; or on the number of, the duration of, and the intervals between the dressings, or any observations to determine in what amount, in what manner, and in what seasons such dressings of sewage can be most beneficially applied--in other words, the information which it was the object of the experiment to obtain.
A statement of the Income and Expenditure Account, and of the various crops grown and prices realised therefore, has been kindly supplied by the Public Works Committee, at the request of this Committee, and a statement has been obtained from the Borough Treasurer of the whole receipts and payments from the establishment of the farm to the present date.”
”In order to complete this description, it should be added that in 1867 it was resolved to make an experiment on the utilisation of Birmingham sewage by irrigation, and land was accordingly taken in the neighbourhood of the Saltley outfall for this purpose…
The land is irrigated with raw sewage taken direct from the mains. A portion only is drained, and that to an insufficient depth, so that for the most part the effluent water passes over instead of through the land.
Moreover, the land lies low and near the river, in a position which renders it liable to floods, and unfit for sewage irrigation. The Committee have not been able to obtain information on the amount of sewage actually applied to the various crops grown; or on the number of, the duration of, and the intervals between the dressings, or any observations to determine in what amount, in what manner, and in what seasons such dressings of sewage can be most beneficially applied--in other words, the information which it was the object of the experiment to obtain.
A statement of the Income and Expenditure Account, and of the various crops grown and prices realised therefore, has been kindly supplied by the Public Works Committee, at the request of this Committee, and a statement has been obtained from the Borough Treasurer of the whole receipts and payments from the establishment of the farm to the present date.”
Pedrocut
Master Barmmie
Charles Bowyer Adderley (later Lord Norton) gained an injunction to prevent sewage from fouling the River Tame. His estate at Hams Hall was downstream and he claimed that fish could no longer live, cattle no longer drink, sheep cannot be washed, excrements and poisonous ingredients, large quantities of phoreted hydrogen and other noisome gases. The value and comfort of his residence being greatly diminished as the River had become in fact become an open sewer and injurious to public health. The miasma arising from the River had given rise to fevers and other fatal disorders in the neighbourhood.
The committee endeavoured to remedy it by clarifying the effluent water from the sewage by mixture of lime…. “The action of lime is two-fold: it deodorises the sewage and clarifies it by causing a precipitation of sludge in the tanks before the effluent water is passed to the Tame.”
The committee endeavoured to remedy it by clarifying the effluent water from the sewage by mixture of lime…. “The action of lime is two-fold: it deodorises the sewage and clarifies it by causing a precipitation of sludge in the tanks before the effluent water is passed to the Tame.”
I came across this collection of old postcards of Minworth while browsing another social media site today. A lot of images showing the housing for the sewage works staff. I don’t know the precise origins; I am assuming that they were built by the Birmingham Tame and Rea Drainage Board. Most ended up owned by Severn Trent and were maintained by Birmingham Housing Department. Quite a few were demolished and the rest were sold off.
devonjim
master brummie
In 1950's I worked in the electroplating industry, we used various solutions containing nickel, copper, chrome, cyanide. I know that in 1960's new regulations meant an effluent treatment plant had to be installed. Would this mean that until this treatment plant was installed all this industrial waste would have found it's way into the general sewers and thus into the river system.
Most likely, with of course the odd exception. The river Tame was one of, if not the most polluted rivers in the UK. I remember it well as a lad, it stank and the water was completely opaque.
A significant part of the problem was the industrial pollution as it ran through the industrial West Midlands.
Moor End Lad
master brummie
That foundation above looks like the grating covered conduit I referred to on an earlier page,where you could see Birmingham's effluvia cascading into the depths. Since writing that post I've walked down Kingsbury Road to see if the grating is still there, but it has been replaced by a large concrete slab (spoilsports!).
I remember when the outfall sewer from Birmingham was enlarged and sunk into the centre reservations of the Tyburn Road and Kingsbury Road. I think that it was during the 1960s, and the interruption to traffic into Birmingham was horrendous for quite a long time.
I remember when the outfall sewer from Birmingham was enlarged and sunk into the centre reservations of the Tyburn Road and Kingsbury Road. I think that it was during the 1960s, and the interruption to traffic into Birmingham was horrendous for quite a long time.
Janet Hunt
master brummie
The houses in Cottage lane are still there. (The road to the left is Hurst Green Lane). The Church and green Photo.. Housing and church still there. The larger building to the right on the picture with the children on The Green, may be the school which is still there. I love this area because it has retained a lot of old buildings, however in the summer it tends to be rather stinky!
Moor End Lad
master brummie
That map is very interesting, as I remember the level crossing in Kingsbury Road.
i wonder what happened at the trial...interesting read
As kids during the summer when the sewer level was low, we used to scramble down the steps of the outfall sewer and get frogs from the water in the bottom, then we would go home for a sandwich
the overflow was capped off around 1972 when the Kingsbury road was made dual carriageway, the tunnel the over flow feeds runs completely under Castle Vale and joins the Tame by Parkhall Woods so, in adverse weather conditions, the river must still get mild pollution there.