Tideway has successfully activated London’s new super sewer after ten years of construction. The final connection between the Victorian sewers and the 25km Thames Tideway Tunnel has been completed, bringing the entire system online. The new infrastructure will prevent 95% of sewage spills into the tidal Thames, addressing challenges from population growth and climate change. Connections have been made at key locations including Putney Embankment, Chelsea and Victoria Embankments, Blackfriars Bridge, and King Edward Memorial Park. Already, 5,500,000m³ of sewage has been captured, with significant amounts during storm events – including 848,365 tonnes in a single 24-hour period during November rainfall. Construction began in 2016 across 24 sites from Acton to Abbey Mills Pumping Station, involving over 20 deep shafts and giant tunneling machines. The project connected to the existing 6.9km Lee Tunnel to form the complete London Tideway Tunnel system. Environment Secretary Steve Reed highlighted the project as exemplary infrastructure investment aligned with the government’s Plan for Change and recent water industry reforms. Mayor Sadiq Khan called it an important milestone toward making London’s waterways cleaner and more accessible. The project is expected to be fully complete with testing later this year, when Thames Water will take over operations. The infrastructure project was delivered by an alliance of contractors across three regions, with system integration by Amey.
London’s Super Sewer Now Fully Connected – Promising A Greener, Healthier River Thames
