HH62/1/M-LOTH/17

Transcription

[Page] 16

[Page] 17

and Nos. 14, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 34, 35, 38,
39, 40, 41, 45, and 47 in Mid-Lothian.
Further, it will be seen that all the pollutions come
under one of five classes, namely:-
1. Sewage.
2. The washing of coal dross.
3. Limestone mining.
4. The manufacture of paraffin oil.
5. Ironstone mining.
These I shall now discuss in their order.

SEWAGE POLLUTION.
From the nature of the composition of sewage, it
rapidly oxidises on entering a stream, the water of
which, on running some distance, is rendered com-
paratively pure, excepting for potable purposes, when
there is always danger from the spores of disease
germs. When, however, large quantities enter from
villages, some form of sewage irrigation is called for.
This can be effected in most cases of sewage drainage
at present flowing into the river or its tributaries.

POLLUTION FROM THE WASHING OF COAL DROSS.
The minute division of suspended particles, and
their lightness, render cleansing of 'gum' wash only
possible by one means. A practical demonstration of
how this may be effected can be seen at Woodend
Colliery, near Armadale, where there is a very large
wash pumped into tanks dug in the refuse bings, and
regularly scraped out to prevent clogging. (I may
mention that the bings are largely made up of coke
refuse.) By this simple means the filtrate oozes out
at the bottom of the bings perfectly clear. Filtration
then, after some fashion, is the remedy for this
pollution.