Tideway has officially activated London’s new super sewer, marking a major milestone in the city’s efforts to protect the River Thames from pollution. After a decade of construction, the final connection has been made between the Victorian sewer network and the 25km Thames Tideway Tunnel, bringing the entire system online.
The project, delivered by Costain in a joint venture with Vinci Construction Grands Projets and Bachy Soletanche, aims to prevent 95% of sewage spills that previously flowed into the Thames due to population growth and climate change. Key connections were made at locations including Putney Embankment, Blackfriars Bridge, and Wapping.
Since initial connections began, 5.5 million cubic metres of sewage—equivalent to 2,200 Olympic swimming pools—has been diverted from the river. Tideway has launched an online tracker at www.tideway.london to provide regular updates on the system’s impact.
Chris Weston, Thames Water CEO, said: “London’s Victorian sewer system was built for four million people but today, it serves over nine million. The final connection of the Thames Tideway Tunnel to our network is a major milestone in a three-stage programme to help London’s wastewater system cope with a growing population and the impact of climate change.”
