SEWERAGE DISPOSAL.

Shannon News, 16 October 1923, Page 3

SEWERAGE DISPOSAL.

A NEW SYSTEM

MIGHT SUIT SHANNON. Particulars have been brought, under -the notice of the “News” of a new .miethO'd ol sewaige disposal, known as the Montgomerie Neilson system. It should 1 meet the needs of towns like Shannon where cost is an important factor. The process is a modification of the septic tank by the introduction, of oxidising weirs for the sewage to how over in thin films before the matter . is completely purified,, and thence through of large material for further oxidation and purification. The tanks and beds are ail covered and turfed over except .at inspection and cleaning holes. Two inlet gratings for ventilation are provided -at the sides at the lower ends, and flush with the ground level. By this system! the thoroughly oxidised effluent leave s the tanks, and passes on to the filter, where it is. nitrified and made absolutely harmless. The solid matter which will not liquefy is precipitated in . a digesting chamber, from which it is removed at long intervals, in the form, of sludge. This sludge is perfectly inodorous and is practically earth. It is contended that by the use of this process, sew-age is no longer dangerous, for it is treated in a scientific manner without offence, just as the waste in the -human system is disposed of in the body, without disease to the healthy system,. Mr Dawson, senior councillor of the Eastbourne Borough Council, who was on a visit to Shannon last week, in conversation with a “News” representative, stated that his Council were much impressed with the scheme, which they had had under consideration for some time and that, one of their councillors who had visited Australia recently had made full enquiries into the scheme and had been very favourably impressed. He said the scheme had not been much heard; of, owing to the fabt that it had growh, from somie/hing very small, and Was only now blossoming out. as a -result of modem, engineering achievements "which had brought it up to such proportions that, it could now deal with any requirement. For instance, the needs of 7000 persons (individually) are being dealt with within a mile of Melbourne . Post Office. At the Royal Sydney Show a demonstration plant was set up. The size presumed to be used, was for 90 persons or 270 person's in three -days. It, was -used, by 7000 persons and worked quite satisfactorily, rthie effluent being entirely pure. The Wellington Harbour Board ha.ve granted permission to put the effluent into the harbour and a great factor is that it can be- used in series,, the cost of articulation 'being thereby reduced. The tanks cost £230 each, and) four tanks will do - for a population of 1600. As regards -reticulation it would cost less than- any other scheme of sewerage. Another' important, advantage in the scheme was that no pumping station was required. -and compared with the cost of" modern drainage schemes with lifts and pumping station fet £30,000 as against £14,000, for the -Nteillson scheme thereby mjeaning a saving of £16,000. Mr Dawson said his Council had gone to -a good deal j of trouble to verify the scheme and j Cr. Levi’s report to the Council after •his visit to Australia, was in every way | most flattering to Mr Neil son’s meth- J od. It stated 1 there was absolutely no j smell, the system being quite differ- ? out from the septic tank. It is al- j leged • tbalt by the scientific regula- { tion of the air with the aerated waste r passing over the weir, no putrefaction j takes place, but the bacteria, encouraged by the system, devours the waste; producin'* only a small percentage of sluidge and. the effluent, being as clear as water without taste or sin ell. A great advantage o-f the system- is that the cost of maintenance is practically nil. At Biendigo, | with a population of 25,000 people, the • gross maintenance is only £SO and Ibis is reduced to nil by the selling of tlfei efficient to farmers and gardeners as a liquid for garden pur-, no-ses. Picton is the only place in New Zealand where the scheme is in operation-. Northcote have carried « loan for the purpose,, while he understood that Te AwamuM intended installing it. _ In. conclusion, Mr Dawson said -any town contemplating going in for a, sewerage scheme should certainly give Ibe Montgomerie Neilson oxidising sewage scheme consideration.