Report on the Sanitary Condition of Wedowee, with Kelly Act (1935) and Model Sanitation Ordinance

Synopsis

A typed, bound report titled 'Report on the Sanitary Condition of Wedowee, Alabama, With Reference to the Safe Disposal of Human Wastes,' dated July 1, 1939. It was prepared by the county sanitation officer, who was assigned by County Health Officer Dr. W. A. Edwards at the request of Mayor L. H. Huey. It reports a town population of 495, about 122 dwellings, no public sewer except a county line serving the courthouse and jail, and no sanitation ordinance. A house-to-house survey found 50 homes (40.98%) with indoor flush toilets, 47 of them on septic tanks. Sixty-two homes (50.82%) had surface privies and 8 had no toilet facilities, so about 75 houses (61.48%) had unsatisfactory waste disposal. The report recommends adopting a sanitation ordinance and using the 1935 Kelly Act, which lets towns install facilities and place liens on properties, to finance improvements over about three years. Attached are a copy of the Kelly Act (Act No. 443, approved September 13, 1935) and a blank model ordinance form dated 1937. The report shows how the lack of public sewers related to water service in Wedowee.

Key facts

• Population 495 within city limits; about 122 dwellings
• 50 dwellings (40.98%) had indoor water-flush toilets; 47 on septic tanks
• 62 houses (50.82%) had surface privies; 8 (6.56%) had no toilet facilities
• 75 houses (61.48%) judged to have unsatisfactory waste disposal
• Recommends a sanitation ordinance and financing under the 1935 Kelly Act (Act No. 443)
• Model ordinance sets fines of $1.00 to $100.00 and treats piped 'water under pressure' as a factor in required facilities

Report
on
The Sanitary Condition
of
Wedowee, Alabama
With Reference to the Safe Disposal of Human Wastes
July 1, 1939
At the request of Honorable L. H. Huey, Mayor of Wedowee, the writer was detailed by Dr. W. A. Edwards, County Health Officer, to make a sanitary survey of Wedowee. The purpose of this survey was to secure information from which could be based a plan looking to the improvement of the sanitary conditions of the town of Wedowee.
Wedowee is situated in the central part of Randolph County. It is served by two state highways - namely, highway number 37 running north and south through the county, and highway number 48 running west from Wedowee. Wedowee depends largely upon the farming people for the trade.
Wedowee has a population of four hundred and ninety-five within the city limits. Forty, or approximately 8% of this number, are colored.
Wedowee has no public sewer line although the county has a line serving the courthouse and jail only. The city has never adopted a sanitation ordinance.
Survey Methods Used.
A house to house survey was made of every premise and the type of sanitation recorded on the accompanying map. In the main, this sanitary survey will be found to be accurate, though it is possible a small percentage of errors may exist.
[...]
Tabulation of Survey.
Houses with septic tanks 47 38.52%
Houses with cesspools 1 .82%
Houses with sewerage in open ditches 2 1.64%
Houses with standard pit privies 0 -----
Houses with non-standard pit privies 2 1.64%
Houses with surface privies 62 50.82%
Houses with no toilet facilities 8 6.56%
Total houses 122 100.00%
[...]

Physical description

Bound typescript; top edges of later pages are folded or curled in the scans. Kelly Act copy and model ordinance are on pink-toned paper. Signature blocks are blank.

Reading notes

The author (County Sanitation Officer) is not named. The map and economic classification sheet mentioned in the report are not included. Model ordinance pages 2, 4 and 8 seem to be missing, and the ordinance is a blank 1937 form, not one adopted by Wedowee.