Ministry of Housing and Local Government: Engineering Inspectorate: River Pollution...

HLG 133

1953-1973

This series consists of the unregistered papers and plans of the River Pollution Survey which was carried out in 1958 by the Engineering Inspectorate of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government. The survey covered rivers, non-tidal waters, estuaries and canals in England and Wales and divided them into four levels of pollution. The papers are arranged by river authority and include the report, Piece 45, which was not published.

Public Record(s)

English

45 file(s)

Topics

Canals and river transport

The Engineering Inspectorate was responsible for advising the administrative divisions on all engineering aspects of the department's work, especially in relation to water supply, sewerage, sewage and refuse disposal, burial grounds, crematoria, and coast protection. It also rendered assistance to the administrative divisions, particularly the division responsible for water and sewerage, in the drafting of new legislation and resulting regulations. Towards the end of the 1960s the inspectorate was re-named the Directorate of Engineering.

The inspectors were available for informal consultation with local authorities concerning new projects and also conducted public local inquiries and heard appeals and disputes referred to the minister for decision under Public Health, Water, Local Government, Coast Protection, Highways, Rivers and other acts. Chemical inspectors, attached to the inspectorate, specialised in water quality and treatment the treatment of sewage and liquid industrial wastes, and the disposal of liquid and solid toxic wastes. A survey on river pollution was carried out by the inspectorate in 1958.