The Metropolis Management Act, 1855, Section 202.

By-Laws Made By The Council

For Regulating the Dimensions, Form, and Mode of Construction, and the Keeping, Cleansing, and Repairing of the Pipes, Drains, and other means of communicating with Sewers and the Traps and Apparatus connected therewith.

Note

By-law 1 relates to the drainage of subsoil, and by-law 2 to the drainage of surface-water.

Rain Water Pipes

3. Every person who shall erect a new building, and shall provide, in connection with such building, a pipe or channel for the purpose of conveying to any sewer any water that may fall on the roof, shall cause such pipe or channel to discharge in the open air over a properly-trapped gully or into such gully above the level of the water in the trap thereof.

He shall not cause any such pipe or channel to be so constructed as to receive into such pipe or channel any solid or liquid matter from any water-closet, urinal, slop or other sink, or lavatory.

Note

By-laws 4 to 7 relate to drainage.

Ventilation Of Drains

8. Every person who shall erect a new building shall, for the purpose of securing efficient ventilation of the drains of such building communicating with a sewer, comply with the following requirements:-

(i.) He shall provide at least two untrapped openings to the drains, and in the provision of such openings he shall adopt such of the arrangements hereinafter specified as the circumstances of the case may render the more suitable and effectual.

(a) One opening being above and near the level of the surface of the ground adjoining such opening shall communicate with the drains by means of a suitable pipe, shaft or chamber, and shall be situated as near as may be practicable to the trap which, in pursuance of the by-law in that behalf, shall be provided between the main drain or other drain of the building and the sewer. The point at which such opening communicates with the drain shall also in every case be situated on that side of the trap which is the nearer to the building.

The second opening shall be obtained by carrying up from a point in the drains, as far distant as may be practicable from the point at which the first-mentioned opening shall be situated, a pipe or shaft, vertically, to such a height and in such a position as to afford by means of the open end of such pipe or shaft a safe outlet for foul air.

(b) In every case where the foregoing arrangement of the openings to the drains may be impracticable or undesirable, there may be substituted the arrangement hereinafter prescribed.

One opening shall be obtained by carrying up from a point, as near as may be practicable to the trap, which, in pursuance of the by-law in that behalf, shall be provided between the main drain or other drain of the building and the sewer, a pipe or shaft, vertically, to such a height and in such a position as to afford, by means of the open end of such pipe, a safe outlet for foul air. The point at which such opening communicates with the drain shall also in every case be situated on that side of the trap which is the nearer to the building.

The second opening, being at a point in the drains as far distant as may be practicable from the point at which such last-mentioned pipe or shaft shall be carried up, shall be above and near the level of the surface of the ground adjoining such opening, and shall communicate with the drains by means of a suitable pipe or shaft.

(c) If in any case neither of the two preceding arrangements are desirable, then both the first and second openings may be obtained by carrying up from the points referred to in the previous sub-section suitable vertical pipes or shafts to such heights and in such positions that when either acts as an inlet the other may be a safe outlet for foul air. (ii.) He shall cause every opening provided in accordance with any of the arrangements hereinbefore specified to be furnished with a suitable grating or other suitable cover for the purpose of preventing any obstruction in or injury to any pipe or drain by the introduction of any substance through any such opening. He shall, in every case, cause such grating or cover to be so constructed and fitted as to secure the free passage of air through such grating or cover by means of a sufficient number of apertures, of which the aggregate extent shall be not less than the sectional area of the pipe or drain to which such grating or cover may be fitted.

(111.) He shall not, except where unavoidable, cause any bend or angle to be made in any pipe or shaft used in connection with any of the arrangements hereinbefore specified.

(iv.) He shall cause every pipe or shaft which may be used in connection with any of the arrangements hereinbefore specified to have an internal diameter of not less than four inches.

(v.) He shall cause every pipe or shaft used in connection with any of the arrangements hereinbefore specified to be constructed in the same manner and of the same material and weight as if such pipe or shaft were a soil-pipe.

(vi.) Provided always, that for the purpose of any of the arrangements hereinbefore specified the soil-pipe of any water-closet, or the waste-pipe of any slop sink constructed or adapted to be used for receiving any solid or liquid excremental filth, in every case where the situation, sectional area, height and mode of construction of such soil-pipe or such waste-pipe shall be in accordance with the requirements applicable to the pipe or shaft to be carried up from the drains, shall be deemed to provide the necessary opening for ventilation which would otherwise be obtained by means of such last-mentioned pipe or shaft.

Provided also that any such soil-pipe or waste-pipe shall, where such soil-pipe or waste-pipe shall have an internal diameter of not less than three and a-half inches, and shall in all other respects comply with the requirements as to the position, height and mode of construction of the pipe or shaft to be provided for the ventilation of any drain, be deemed to provide adequate ventilation for any drain having an internal diameter of not more than four inches.