The road, leading beyond the town from the Moskovskaya gate, has on its left, the curious Friedenthal colony with its typical old houses, and on its right, a number of fine villas. Along this road lies the way to the biological sewage works, built by the military engineer Griboyedov and Miedinski, and belonging to the town drainage.

The underground net of sewers, which existed till 1902, had no definite system and consisted partly of ceramic and partly of wooden drains. These pipes carried sewage into the neighbouring springs and rivers, and infected them.

In the beginning of 1902, a commission was formed. It was then decided to construct a separate system, leaving the existing network for carrying away rain-water. It was agreed, that the sewage should be treated by biological process, and then the final effluent is discharged into the small river Slavyanka. Thus it came about, that Tsarskoe Selo received a system of floating drainage and purification of sewage by a method up to that time nowhere practiced in Russia.

Afterwards furnaces were built for the destruction of kitchen refuse, and yard and street sweepings.

The network of drains consists of ceramic pipes from 7" to 24" in diameter and of a length, of over 30 miles; the depth of the pipes underground varies from 7 to 22.75 feet.

The sewage is brought by two carriers, to the railway embankment, next to the village of Tiarlevo, where the two carriers unite into one main one, 2411 in diameter, and is carried to the biological sewage farm.

The biological sewage farm was planned for a population of 40,000, and has a biological method of treatment septic tanks with, double contact beds or percolating filters and with a successive filtration of fine coares. The sewage work has a roof, that protects it from the severe cold in winter.

The final effluent is discharged into the river Slavyanka by the so called "Suburban" main, 21" in diameter, and about one mile long. It enters the river beyond the villages of Lipitzi and Novo - Viessi; the next village down stream is the Moskovskaya - Slavyanka, which lies at a distance of 4 miles.

The total acreage of the farm is about 18 acres of land.

The network of drains was laid down in 1902/04; the biological sewage farm was under construction from 1903/08; while from Dec. 1, 1905 began the treatment of the sewage.

The effluent has neither smell nor colour, and, on being allowed to stand in a stoppered bottle, will not putrefy.

The furnaces for the destruction of refuse, were supplied by the English firm "Horsfall Destructor Seedset Co.". The hot gases are made use of for the electric lighting and heating of the station.

The refuse is collected in two-wheeled carts, holding about half a ton each.

In the sewage farm, there are also houses, containing lodgings for the workmen, and a laboratory for chemical and bacteriological analysis.