Sanitary Superintendence Regulations

SECTION 50-Sanitary Superintendence Regulations Made by the Principal Board of Health R. R. 167/29 [26 th January, 1926] 1. These Regulations may be cited as the Sanitary Superintendence Regulations. 2. In these regulations "authorized officer" means a Government Medical Officer and the Ankylostomiasis Officer; "cesspit" means any pit which is used for the disposal of human excreta, human urine, and matters mixed with them or either of them. 3. The material necessary for the construction of a latrine according to the following regulations shall be supplied at the place of manufacture for the amount of $4, and this amount shall be paid before delivery of a latrine can be taken. 4. No cesspit shall be constructed until the position for it is fixed by an authorized officer of the Board. 5. No cesspit shall be constructed less than 20 feet away from any building where persons may reside, or may be employed, or shall be within 50 feet of any well or underground water tank, provided that where the api renders it impossible exactly to apply this regulation, then an authorized officer may adopt lesser distances than 20 feet and 50 feet. 6. Any owner or occupier objecting to the position fixed by an authorized officer may appeal to the Board whose decision shall be final. 7. A cesspit for use under one seat shall be 3 feet, or, where in the opinion of an authorized officer the ground is firm, 3 feet 6 inches in diameter at the surface, 2 feet 6 inches in diameter at the bottom where the diameter at the surface is 3 feet, or 3 feet in diameter at the bottom where the surface diameter is 3 feet 6 inches, and 6 feet deep; and where the ground water, loose soil, rock, or coral does not permit of these dimensions the pit shall be excavated to such dimensions as an authorized officer may direct, consistent with the stated dimensions. 8. Where cesspit latrines are built on land having a fall, a level site shall be excavated on which to erect the latrine, and the earth excavated shall be used to form a parapet at least one foot high on the slope above the latrine in order to divert storm water past the latrine and prevent flooding of the cesspit. 9. The reinforced concrete disc shall be placed directly over the pit, and the opening 15 inches in diameter in the centre of the disc shall be so centred that deposits will fall clear of the walls of the pit. A margin of 3 inches, and where permission has been obtained to increase the diameter at the surface to 3 feet 6 inches a margin of 5 inches all round of undisturbed ground shall be left between the rim of the pit and the rim of the cement disc. 10. The cement pipe, which is to be used as the major portion of the seat, shall be placed in an upright position and exactly centred over the opening in the centre of the disc, and the end not having the 4 pieces of wood inserted shall come in contact with the cement disc. 11. Cement, or other suitable material, shall be placed around the junction of the cement portion of the seat and the cement disc, and this cement, or other suitable material, shall be impervious to water, so as to make the junction watertight. 12. The wooden part of the seat with the lid attached, shall be securely fastened to the cement seat by at least four screws, screwed through the seat so as to enter the four pieces of wood inserted in the cement part of the seat, and any openings between the wooden part of the seat and the cement part of the seat shall be closed by cement, or other suitable material, which shall be impervious to water. 13. The angle iron or wood supplied by the Government shall be screwed on to the lid in such a position as to cause the lid to close by gravity when not in use. 14. The cesspit shall be ventilated by the standard Government ventilating pipe, fitted into the opening, 2 inches in diameter, provided for it in the cement disc, and arranged to pass through the roof of the privy building. Cement, or other suitable material, shall be placed around the junction of the ventilating pipe and the cement disc to make the junction water-tight. 15. The Board undertakes when a latrine is first erected only to supply a person to screw the wooden part of the seat to the cement part of the seat, to fix the angle iron to the lid, and to do the necessary cement work at the junctions of the ventilation pipe and the cement disc, the cement part of the seat and the cement disc, and the wooden part of the seat and the cement part of the seat. After the above has been performed to the satisfaction of the authorized officer, the person having charge or control of a latrine shall be responsible for the keeping of the latrine in good condition. 16. Every person having the charge or control of any latrine of the standard pattern shall not permit the lid to be prevented from tightly closing the opening in the seat when not in use, and shall at all times keep the lid in such state of repair as to cause the lid to close when not in use. 17. No person having the charge or control of any latrine or cesspit shall use it, or permit it to be used, when the contents have reached within one foot six inches of the cement disc. A new cesspit shall immediately be excavated, in accordance with these regulations and the latrine moved to cover the new cesspit. The disused cesspit shall then be filled with earth which shall be banked up to a height of at least one foot six inches above the natural level of f the. surrounding ground. 18. No person shall deposit human faeces on the surface of any ground, or in any other place than in a latrine constructed in accordance with these regulations, or, in a septic tank, or other device for the reception of night soil approved of by the principal Board of Health: Provided that it shall not be a breach of these regulations if a person not within easy distance of any such sanitary convenience deposits human faeces in a place at least 100 yards from any human habitation, highway, path, well, stream bed, cistern or place frequented by human beings. 19. Where upon any town allotment or any leased land in town areas there are erected any of the buildings hereinafter described, standard latrines of the approved pattern shall be provided by the occupier of the lease or the owner as the case may be in accordance with the following sub-paragraphs of this regulation (a) for every factory, warehouse or store one latrine of the standard pattern for from one to 30 persons and for each additional 30 persons or part thereof one additional latrine; (b) for every school separate latrines of the standard pattern for each sex in the proportion of one latrine for from one to 50 persons of each sex, and one additional latrine for persons above the number of 50 and not exceeding 100 of each sex, and for each additional 50 persons or part thereof one additional latrine; (c) for ever place of amusement, recreation, or public resort separate latrines of the standard pattern for each sex; (d) for every boarding house, lodging house, or other place where numbers of persons may ordinarily reside separate latrines of the standard pattern for each sex at the rate of one latrine for each 20 persons. 20. The occupier or owner of any land upon which is situated a latrine of the standard pattern approved of by the Principal Board of Health shall at all times after the latrine has been satisfactorily installed (a) keep the latrine in accordance with these regulations; (b) immediately fill in with suitable material any apertures between the rim of the cement disc and the adjoining earth and any cracks or holes in the surrounding ground which may open into the cesspit. 21. Any person who fails to comply with these regulations shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $20, or in default of payment or otherwise a term of imprisonment not exceeding 3 months.