London sewer system
The London sewer system was one of the largest and most important urban development projects in Europe in the 19th century.
background
Since the 1840s occurred in London repeated large cholera - epidemics on, demanding the many victims. At that time it was not recognized that the cholera was caused by contaminated groundwater in the urban area, which was contaminated due to numerous septic tanks . Instead, most experts blamed the so-called miasma . One of the few critics was the English doctor John Snow . In 1854, through meticulous observation and recording of the illnesses, he found out how and by what means the cholera was spread, but he was not heard by those responsible. At that time, Joseph Bazalgette was already a member of the Metropolitan Commission of Sewers (see Metropolitan Board of Works ) and was planning a new sewer network . It was supposed to relieve the Thames , into which a large part of the sewage flowed, and thus wipe out the “bad smells” as the alleged cause of the epidemics from the city.
construction
After more than 30,000 residents had died from several cholera epidemics, Joseph Bazalgette was appointed chief engineer of the Metropolitan Board of Works in 1856, supported by his colleague Isambard Kingdom Brunel . His plan was to build a network of sewers over 100 km in length to discharge the more than 140 billion liters of sewage east of London every year. For this he developed the tried and tested egg profile that is still used today .
The start of construction was repeatedly delayed due to financial concerns. It was only when the Great Stench hit the city in 1858 and the members of parliament fled to avoid becoming infected with miasms (poisonous fumes) , as was believed at the time , that the construction of a sewerage system was decided and £ 3 million made available for it.
The construction turned out to be difficult. Time and again, the shafts of the then existing London Underground were affected and led to collapse or water ingress. Most of the canals were not built underground, but first a trench was dug, in which the masonry was then placed. Then the finished canal was covered with earth again. During the construction period there were repeated strikes that put a heavy strain on the budget. In addition, part of the route led past a military training area for the royal artillerymen, with repeated shelling.
Todays situation
The Bazalgettes buildings are still the most important part of the London canal network. The solid construction and the progressive construction have ensured the functioning for 150 years. Especially in the 20th century, canals were repeatedly relocated and renewed due to the construction of the underground. In addition, the discharge of sewage into the Thames in east London has been stopped and sewage treatment plants have been built on both sides of the river instead .
literature
- David S. Barnes: The Great Stink of Paris and the Nineteenth-Century Struggle Against Filth and Germs . Johns Hopkins University Press , Baltimore 2006, ISBN 978-0-8018-8349-1 .
- Edwin Chadwick: Report on the Sanitary Condition of the Laboring Population of Great Britain . Originally published by "Poor Law Commission", London 1842. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh 1965, BiblioBazaar 2009, ISBN 978-1-115-39479-6 .
- Stephen Halliday: Great Stink of London: Sir Joseph Bazalgette and the Cleansing of the Victorian Metropolis , Sutton Publishing, Thrupp, Stroud, Gloucestershire 1999. ISBN 0-75091-975-2 . New edition: The History Press, Stroud 2008. ISBN 978-0-75092-580-8
- Richard Trench, Ellis Hillman: London Under London: A Subterranean Guide . John Murray, London 1989. ISBN 0-7195-4080-1 .
Movie
- Gregory Evants: Technological Wonders of the World - The Underworld of London. Documentation. UK, 44 min.
Web links
- Pictures and stories (English)