Story: Sewage, water and waste

Sewage treatment, early 1900s (2nd of 3)

Sewage treatment, early 1900s

An attendant watches over a stack of stones with sheets of corrugated iron spreading effluent onto it. Treating effluent prior to disposal was not common in the early 1900s – most sewage was pumped out to sea or into rivers without treatment.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, James McAllister Collection (PAColl-3054)
Reference: 1/1-005906; G
Photograph by James McAllister

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Christine Dann, 'Sewage, water and waste - Stinking cities', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/24433/sewage-treatment-early-1900s (accessed 28 April 2024)

Story by Christine Dann, published 11 Mar 2010