The UK’s largest water and wastewater provider announced today (17 September 2024) that it will implement additional modifications to its proposed drought resilience project in London, responding to customer feedback.
This new infrastructure initiative is of national importance and aims to secure the drinking water supply for millions of households and businesses throughout London. Thames Water anticipates a daily shortfall of 1 billion liters by 2050 and expects to serve an additional two million customers, increasing from eight million to ten million.
To combat the water scarcity, Thames Water plans a record investment in new infrastructure and enhancements to its water network, alongside a pledge to reduce leakage by more than half by 2050, and to install an additional 1.1 million smart meters for customers within the next five years.
The Teddington Direct River Abstraction (TDRA) project would be utilized only during drought conditions to safeguard drinking water supplies.
Water sourced from the River Thames, upstream of Teddington Weir, would be channeled through a new connecting pipeline to an existing underground tunnel, eventually reaching the Lee Valley reservoirs in East London for treatment as drinking water.
To replenish the river, highly treated recycled water, which undergoes an extra cleaning process known as ‘tertiary treatment,’ would be transferred from Mogden sewage treatment works and released into the River Thames at a new discharge point upstream of Teddington Weir. This would offset the water taken to protect the environment and local wildlife.
The operation would be strictly regulated by the Environment Agency, ensuring that no untreated sewage is introduced into the river. If approved, the project could supply up to 75 million liters of water daily, protecting London’s economy from the severe impacts of drought, which could cost up to £500 million a day.
Design changes and feedback
Over 2,300 individuals participated in Thames Water’s non-statutory public consultation in autumn 2023. In response to significant concerns regarding surface-level impacts in Hounslow, Richmond, and Kingston, the company announced in July 2024 that it would alter the proposed construction method for its recycled water pipeline.
Switching from pipejacking to tunnel boring will considerably lessen visual impacts, eliminating four ventilation shafts and construction compounds from the project. This change also reduces the traffic movements that would have been necessary for the original design.
Continuing to address feedback, Thames Water has now proposed a solution that removes the need for continuous discharge of treated water upstream of Teddington Weir. Instead, it will discharge maintenance flow, which is essential for the water recycling process, at Isleworth using existing infrastructure.
Consequently, treated water will only be discharged upstream of Teddington Weir when the TDRA project is operational—approximately once every two years.
Leonie Dubois, Head of Engagement, Land and Consents at Thames Water, stated:“We take community feedback very seriously and are committed to ensuring our design proposals lead to improvements at every stage.
“We still have considerable work to do before finalizing the design, and there will be more opportunities for the public to share their opinions and influence our proposals. I hope local communities feel assured that we are listening and responding to their feedback. Our top priority is to minimize impacts and disruptions while safeguarding future water resources.”
Source :Thames Water
