"Super sewer fully up and running" in London to protect River Thames

Construction of the Thames Tideway Tunnel, a 25-kilometre-long sewer, has been completed below London to minimise pollution to the River Thames.

The structure is now fully connected to outflows of London's existing Victorian sewer system at 21 points, diverting sewage spills from the River Thames.

It is a vital upgrade to the city's existing infrastructure, built 150 years ago to serve a population of four million. This is now less than half the capital's current size, leaving the sewage system overwhelmed and susceptible to spillages of human waste and rain runoff.

The new system is expected to prevent 95 per cent of the sewage discharges that would previously have entered and polluted the river, reported the BBC.

Ahead of last's weeks completion of the final connection, the Thames Tideway Tunnel team said the ambition of the project is "to create a healthier, thriving environment for the river".

“This is another significant step forward – with this final connection complete, the super sewer is fully up and running and protecting the Thames," CEO Andy Mitchell said.

“We are at the start of a new chapter for London and its river," added Mitchell.

"Our mission has always been about creating not just a tunnel, but a healthier, thriving environment for the river and its inhabitants. We look forward to seeing a real impact in the years to come and sharing everything we learn about the positive changes."

The construction of the Thames Tideway Tunnel began in 2016, with 24 construction sites across London.

Its 21 connections link with the existing Lee Tunnel, a 6.9-kilometre-long structure owned by water company Thames Water, to form the London Tideway Tunnel (LTT).

While the construction is complete, the project is yet to be wrapped up fully, with the team now setting out to monitor its success during a storm, when sewer systems are often overwhelming and left at risk of overflowing.

"Our next step is to test it in storm conditions – which is why we are keeping a close eye on the weather – and we will do this over the coming months," added Mitchell.

Once this has been achieved, Thames Water will take over its operation.

According to the Thames Tideway Tunnel team, the tunnel captured 848,365 tonnes of storm sewage during heavy rainfall in November last year.

London mayor Sadiq Khan said the project is hoped to set a precedent for alleviating pollution in London's waterways.

“This is an important milestone, which will mean a huge reduction in sewage going into the tidal Thames," Khan said.

"We must now build on this work to go further and tackle the other sources of pollution damaging London’s waterways," he added. "I’m determined to make our rivers cleaner, safer and more accessible so that Londoners can enjoy the benefits of nature as we continue to build a greener and better city for all."

As part of the project, a series of new public spaces have also been created in an attempt "to connect the capital’s residents and visitors with the river more closely", the Thames Tideway Tunnel team said.

This will equate to 1.2 hectares of public space, with some areas deliberately floodable at high tide to encourage people to "dip their toe in what will be a cleaner River Thames".

Other projects relating to sewage infrastructure on Dezeen include the mountain-like Taoyuan Sewage Treatment Project in northern Taiwan and a Danish sewage works that Henning Larsen topped with a park.

The photography is courtesy of Thames Tideway Tunnel. 

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