Welcome to the R.A.T.S. website for information & action against sewage in the river Thames
Please add your name to the petition supporting the list of river users who are unhappy with the way the Department of the Environment permit Thames Water to flout regulations, despoil the environment and absolve itself of its responsibilities.
NEWS HEADLINES
Thames Tideway Tunnel public consultation – 17th November 2008
The public consultation on the Thames Tideway tunnel brought to light some of the objections to the Tideway Tunnel scheme. Hammersmith and Fulham council opposed the western entry point at Furnivall gardens or Ravenscourt Park, where works were proposed to begin in 2012 and Thames Water confirmed that Ravenscourt Park would be unlikely to be the chosen location for the western access tunnel.
Some doubt was voiced about the tideway tunnel scheme on grounds of construction and operating costs giving minimal benefits for such a massive undertaking. No mention seems to have been made for implementing alternative measures such as soak-aways and rainwater capture and drainage separation schemes.
There were speakers from Hammersmith Council, Environment Agency, Andrew Whetnall from the Consumer Council for Water, Richard Ashley (Professor of Urban Water at Sheffield University) and Richard Aylard from Thames Water.
A full account of the meeting is given on the council website press pages: £2.2billion Super-sewer. More about the project can be found on the Thames Water website and the Hammersmith & Fulham Council briefing.
Sewage discharge warning – 31st May 2008
The spring rain showers have increased the current flow once again in the river, but also brought the prospects of sudden and massive sewage discharges.
Kew sewage works discharging Saturday 31st
May. 08 at 17:45
To begin with it smelled of rotten fish! Then we noticed the pall of pale brown water with a frothy scum making it's way downstream. The tide was low and going out slowly, so the discharge has no chance of making it out to sea but will wash downstream for an hour or two before the tide turns, when it will then wash back upstream. This is the sort of panic sewage management decision that caused the disastrous discharges in Aug.2004 that Thames Water told us would not happen again. With numerous short but heavy showers, the storage tanks fill, but then are not emptied before the next rainfall. So they have to discharge to prevent the plant being inundated when it rains again.
In this case the last spell of heavy rain was yesterday and the dark grey clouds are moving in, so more rain is likely any minute. Evidently TW are clearing out the tanks to make room. It is probably not the only discharge point to be running and it is likely to happen again as there is more rain on the long range forecast.
Stay safe - rowers should take extra care to wash off after outings and keep the tops of drinks bottles covered.
Bottles with splash caps – June 2008
The best-selling water bottles with splash-caps have been updated with a new design from Rock-the-Boat. Protect yourself from ingesting those horrible germs, hygienic & easy to clean, big enough to encourage you to dilute those sickly sport drinks, fewer plastic bottles discarded on the river and kicking around the boat club. Unbeatable value for just a fiver.
Thames Water Mogden update – 29th May 2008
We have received a few more glossy leaflets from Thames Water about Mogden Sewage Treatment Works. However, they reveal nothing new about the plans that are already supposed to have been submitted to Hounslow Council. Work is due to start in the Winter of 2008/9 to expand the capacity of the plant to cope with the increasing demand from the enlarging population of West London. TW claim that they will be able to reduce the amounts of wastewater (untreated sewage) that is still being deliberately discharged into the river at peak times. Thames Water - Mogden
Tideway water condition – 20th February 2008
Less rain in recent weeks has resulted in a slowing of the river current, but the water quality still seems to remain fairly good. There have been dubious smells from the site of the old sewage works at Kew (now a pumping station) and Mogden residents have been reporting possible raw sewage discharges into the river at Isleworth Ait. Should this be confirmed, it would be strange as there appears to be no good reason (i.e. the storm tanks should not be full as there has been little rain).
HPA – publish the Thames Recreational Users Study – September 2007
Final report on the Thames
Recreational Users Study has been released by the City of London
Port Health Authority and the Health Protection Agency. Basically proving
that we are all a pretty healthy bunch who occasionally get sick as a
result of nasties in the river. All good advice given in the report,
much of which can be found on the RATS website and even includes our
'traffic light'. The report does highlight the elevated risk to non-local
river users, in particular for training athletes for the 2012 olympic
games. It recommends a further study into the contribution to the
river pathogen load by Mogden Sewage Treatment Works, which we have long
believed to be a major source of much of the hazard to health from
the water of the Upper Thames Tideway.
HPA - City of London Thames Tideway Study 2007
Thames Water – launch of new skimmer vessels – 12th September 2007
Thames Water launch their two new 'skimmer vessels'. These new boats are designed to skim the water surface to capture floating debris. This won't reduce the massive quantity of sewage flowing into the river annually, but it will make it a little less apparent by removing some of the floating sanitary towels and condoms that wash up along the shoreline and get caught on the trees..
Tideway water condition – 20th July 2007
More heavy rainfall resulting in strong river flows on the upper tideway, but keeping the river washed clean (along with the sewers no doubt). CSO discharges are liable to be at their maximum, although the results may not hang around long as they are washed East. Post workout showers should be compulsory, even if you get well washed down when you are out. Stay clean – stay healthy.
Thames Water– Mogden planning issues
Thames Water have begun the process
of consultation prior to the forthcoming submission for planning to expand
the capacity of Mogden STW. Thames
Water - Mogden Works costing £40M scheduled
to begin in 2008 will be to increase the throughput of the works by 35%.
The expansion is essential to cope with the waste from the rapidly increasing
appellation of southwest London and for the well-being of the river, which
currently takes the overflow. However, local residents are understandably
unhappy about it after years of fighting a fruitless battle with Thames
Water over noise, odour and mosquito problems from the site.
Details in a glossy pamphlet: Working
for a cleaner Thames
Tideway water condition – 10th June 2007
Water conditions on the upper tideway still appear to be quite good. Sporadic rain showers have kept the river flowing and prevented rapid silting up following the winter 'clear-out'. There have been abundant fish fry and small crustaceans visible from the shore – usually a sign that the oxygen levels are relatively healthy. There are likely to be sewage outfalls at times of rain, but at this time it is fairly well diluted and oxygenated, and then washed quickly down-river. Despite this, it would be wise not to be complacent - the river, as ever, will still be carrying a high bacterial load.
Thames Water– London consultation and Price Review – 6th June 2007
Thames Water are holding a public consultation event in 76 Portland Place on the 6th June. This is to cover the Price Review for the next 5 year period and longer term (25 year) investment plan.
Thames Water– upgrade plans for Mogden Sewage Treatment Works - 22 May 2007
A meeting of the Isleworth and Brentford Area Committee (Monitoring) took place in the Brentford Free Church, Boston Manor Road, Brentford on May 17th. Thames Water presented its plans to seek planning permission to increase the capacity of Mogden by more than 50%. TW are hoping to begin the expansion in the spring 2008 and finish by 2012.
Government green light for Tideway Tunnel
- 22 March 2007
Environment Minister, Ian Pearson gave the go ahead for the Thames Tideway Strategic Study's sewage storage tunnel to be built under the Thames. TW Press Release. Funding for the £2bn 15yr project still has to be addressed and the project has a strong likelihood of substantially over-running on costs. OFWAT response & BBC News video. The project fails to address the continued under-capacity of London's sewage treatment works which are still awaiting the starting of a scheduled £400m upgrade programme. Meanwhile the population of the capital enters a new phase of expansion and home-building.
Thames Tideway Strategic Study website
The website for the Thames Tideway Strategic Study has closed. The reports produced by the TTSS are now available from the Thames Water who unsurprisingly, were one of the main supporters and contributors to the study. TTSS reports
Talk on Cleaning up the River - 15th March 2007
Chris Lane from the Heath Protection Agency is speaking about the Tideway Project and its plans to safeguard the river and our use of it.
Thursday 15th March 2007 7.30pm at Linden House (Sons of the Thames clubhouse - Hammersmith) - Cost £10
Thames Water Mogden - improvements?
Thames Water say that they are submitting planning applications this summer for new works at Mogden to increase its sewage processing capacity. The green light was given for this back in 2004 by OFWAT and the Environment Agency. Meanwhile TW has had two years of increased water rates to ensure that it is financially possible. Works are scheduled to begin in spring 2008 for completion in 2012.
Tideway conditions - 21st January 2007
Continued rainfall still resulting in extreme levels of river flow. Spring tides have forced occasional closure of the Thames Barrier, resulting in some very peculiar tidal conditions in the Upper Tideway. One day had five changes of tide in the space of 2 hours.
Tideway conditions - 21st January 2007
Water quality still relatively good. The tremendous volume of rainwater has cleared much of the debris and fine sediment accumulating at the more static end of the tideway, exposing gravels and stones normally enshrouded in glutinous mud. Presumably the sewers are in a similar cleared-out state, so rain showers, resulting in sewer overflows are likely to have less visual effect. As ever, it is still wise to take precautions and wash after contact with the river water. Spring tides promise to be quite extreme as tidal maxima push against strong river flow to build up the high spring tides. Combined with adverse storm winds, it could result in some localised flooding which would likely include backing up of sewers in buildings by the riverside.
How clean is the Thames - 16th October 2006
Martin J Atrill, Professor of Marine Ecology, Plymouth University
Lecture on the conditions and ecology of the river given at Gresham College in Barnard's Inn Hall on 16.10.06.
Link to lecture video and full transcript.
Tideway conditions - 8th December 2006
Water quality is probably better than it has been for a long time at the moment. This is largely due to the massive water flow down the river from further upstream. Enhanced by the weirs letting through greater flows and Richmond lock opening longer to help prevent flooding upstream, there is so much water in the river that the tides upstream of Barnes have almost disappeared. The strong water flow has also cleared a lot of debris and sediment and is leaving river banks of washed gravels rather than gloopy mud. There are bound to be sewage outfalls at times of rain, but with the increased flow this is well diluted and oxygenated, and then washed quickly down-river. Despite this, it would be wise not to be complacent - the river will still be carrying a high bacterial load.
Tideway conditions - 13th October 2006
Increased water flow continues with the result of plenty of large items of debris and a heavy sidemen load in the river. Beware that the rains bring sewage discharges as the sewers overflow.
The state of London sewers - Article in the Guardian
This spring there was an article in the Guardian I missed on the state on London's vastly under-invested sewers. Tales of the Underworld.
Bottles with splash caps
Protect yourself from ingesting those horrible germs with a water bottle with splash cap. Also comes with many hidden advantages: hygienic & easy to clean, big enough to encourage you to dilute those sickly sport drinks, fewer plastic bottles discarded on the river and kicking around the boat club. Available from Rock the Boat.
Tideway conditions - 11th September 2006
The recent rains have brought larger volumes of water to the river. Compounded by spring tides, this has resulted in strong water flows, lots of debris and suspended sediment load. There are also likely to have been frequent discharges from the sewage system, although the results seem to have been well diluted.
Sewage discharge update - 18th September 2006
The results of the earlier sewage discharge are now beginning to show. Hundreds of small flounder have been washed up on the foreshore having died from oxygen starvation. Ranging in size from 1 to 10" long, they have been providing the gulls and crows with a carrion bonanza. The water is pretty scummy so the health hazard is still high and river users should take extra care to wash off after outings.
Sewage discharge - 14th September 2006
The rainstorm
last night resulted in the sewer overflows
discharging a at least 1.4
million tons of untreated waste into the river.
[BBC
report]
So far the effects of this have
not
appeared too drastic, possibly as a result
of the storm
occurring on an outgoing tide. However, despite
this, the waste will take some time to exit
the river as river flow is still very low and
may be washed up and down with the tide for
a week or two. Be wary of surface contamination
and floating debris, covers all wounds and
scratches and take extra care to avoid ingestion.
Tideway update - 11th September 2006
Big tidal range over the last few days, resulting in minor flooding of the riverside path, but more crucially very low water levels in the upper tideway and a generally poor water quality. Warm temperatures continuing to encourage river-users out. Take extra care though as the water quality will remain extremely poor. Wash thoroughly after any contact with river water and keep those water bottles covered.
RATS t-shirts now available online
Sid the sewer rat is now available on white cotton t-shirts, plus the river of s**t for 2012. Object to the sewage now and demand action to get the sewage modernisation process started (Profits go to help keep this site running and into the 'action' kitty - to chase off Sid!!!)
Government announcement - 27th July 2006
The Government has finally got around to agreeing with the results of the Thames Tideway Strategic Study and endorsed two options for digging large sub-Thames sewage storage tunnels. When construction will begin is anyone's guess, but it will be lucky to have even started by 2012. It will provide no results for at least 10 years. Maybe, in that time it could be decided that a more sensible option might be to fill it full of rainwater and give London a much needed central reservoir ... and also help to prevent sewage overflows at the same time! Two birds with one stone!
Government announces shortlisted option
Tideway update - 7th July 2006
The PLA have issued a notice (U11, 2006) that the EA has permitted extra abstraction of water from the river higher upstream. As a result the flow across Twickenham wear is now a mere trickle and we are warned to beware of reduced water depths between Richmond and Battersea. It is at times like this that in the event of a sudden cloudburst, the resulting rapid run-off can easily inundate the sewers and works and the mixture is then dumped into the river with drastic consequences. There is now no appreciable over-capacity in either the works or the sewers to cope, and the promised expansion at the Mogden STW are still yet to begin.
Take extra care as the water quality will be extremely poor. Wash thoroughly after any contact with river water and keep those water bottles covered.
Tideway update - 4th June 2006
The recent week of rain has resulted in a sudden increase in river flow accompanied by some pretty dodgy smells and frothy scum in the region of Kew Sewage Works. This may be an indication of a little 'overflowage', so take extra care. No reports of discharges from further down, but there have bound to have been some.
Tideway update - 4th May 2006
After a fairly dry winter season, the change in weather seems to have brought the bugs out. There have been reports of numerous rowers in the upper tideway suffering from the trots. One case of Giardiasis too, which is much more worrisome. Take extra care not to ingest any river water - keep those water bottles covered and wash hands and face - if not everything after being out on the river. Please report any suspected troubles to the Health Protection Agency.
RATS in the news - 27th April 2006
Write up and comment in the online news service 'SLATE' in despatches by Rose George.
Tideway update - 15th January 2006
Increased levels of flow in the river due to rainfall seem to have kept the river fairly clear. Coupled with higher tides and winds, there is quite a large amount of tree debris floating up and down with the tide.
TTSS supplementary report - December 2005
The supplementary report from the Thames Tideway Strategic Study has been released (at long last). As expected, there are no surprises as it is largely a list of interim improvement measures that have been discounted on the grounds of cost-effectiveness. Some of the ameliorative measures already in use are to be scaled up (Hydrogen peroxide dosing) and two debris skimmer boats are to be employed to remove litter & floating solids. 'Provision of advice to recreational river users' is also included - what form this will take we have yet to see! So far the only advice we have been given is 'not to use the river for a couple of weeks after any rain' and to 'avoid ingesting river water' under any conditions.
Some space in the report has also been devoted to updating information on the original report. A few re-assurances about the original figures for estimated annual discharges and the ability for the STWs to cope after completion of works currently just beginning. The overall cost of the proposed storage tunnel has increased by 11.5% to nearly £1.7billion.
Tideway update - 7th December 2005
Possibly as a result of the dry summer we have had few sewage discharge events and certainly none of the severity of 2004. There have been a couple of fairly large events in October, but the rains and resulting extra flow in the river, seems to have cleared it out quite efficiently. Increasing levels of debris in the river, notably a number of 'birds nests' and floating branches washing up and down.
RATS meet with Thames Water - 18th November 2005
Tom Kelly, Thames Water's head of wastewater
services and Alan O'Neil, Thames Water community
liaison executive came to Putney Town on the
18th December. Concerned at the bad press that
TW have been getting of late, they were keen
to put their side of the story and bring us up-to-date
with works that are now scheduled to proceed
(and try to enlist our support for the TTSS tunnel
that they want to dig). So nothing new really,
but a willingness to communicate with users of
the river which marks a good step forward. Predictably
there will be little improvement until the work
at the three main sewage treatment works are
completed (up to 9 years away), although they
did say that the August event of last year 'wouldn't
happen again'. They admitted to having some operational
problems at Mogden caused by the extreme storm
events and the loss of much of their primary
treatment sewage to the river, in addition to
the raw sewage bypassing the works.
One key issue t that Thames Water wanted
to stress was that they and their regulator
OFWAT are convinced
that their sewage treatment works meet the
standards of the European Union's Urban
Waste and Water
Treatment directive. However, the Environment
Agency, who advise OFWAT, does not think so
and we do not either unless you believe
that a minor
rain shower constitutes an 'extreme event'
thus permitting discharge of raw sewage
to the river.
These 'extreme events' occur over 50 times
a year! One thing that is certain is
that the UWWT
directive is far too unspecific in its definitions
and this seems to have led to its recommendations
being ignored.
In the immediate future, plans to screen sewer
overflows have been scrapped (too costly and
no space available at most of the CSOs), but
we are to see more use of the Thames Bubblers
and treatment of the water with Hydrogen Peroxide
when conditions are bad. They confirmed the
possibility of tying up with TW and the EA
to help provide
data for a warning system for extreme discharge
events and also offered to try to maintain
good water quality in particular for the dates
of
the major rowing events on the Tideway. We are
now assembling the list for next year. - Anatole
Beams
Jon Goddard, Thames Tideway Technical Manager from the Environment Agency speaks on the Thames Tideway Strategic Study - solutions for sewer overflows.
'...at this crucial time with the Olympics looming and newspaper coverage increasing, hear about the background, where we are and what we can do in the future... and ask questions!'
Ranelagh Sailing
Club, The Embankment, Putney
7.00 for 7.30pm, Thursday 17th November 2005
Sewage rats meet the landlords - 18th November 2005
Following our recent
press publicity and meetings with the EA and
HPA, we have been approached by Thames Water
who are keen to put their side of the story.
We will be meeting with the head of wastewater
services, Tom Kelly on the 18th December. Anybody
who has any helpful questions
to put to them,
send
them
to us and
we will
put them to the test.
rats@thamessewage.com
Oil release - 4th October 2005
Be aware of oil slicks on the water surface after a large diesel spill down at Rotherhithe after a barge sank. Oil has been seen on the water surface up as far as Kew bridge. BBC news
RATS press release - 3rd October 2005
Further to our press release in September. (see RATS statement) Tom Kelly, Head of operations at Thames Water has issued a more detailed response, which I have now added after the initial brief response from Thames Water.
Tideway update - 1st October 2005
High levels of floating debris after high spring tides and rainstorms discharging from Combined Sewage Outfalls.
Website update - 1st October 2005
RATS petition NOW accessible from Petitions page. See who and what has been said. NEARLY 250 entries.
RATS at Crossness - 16th September 2005
The RATS scurried down to the Environment Agency nerve centre at Crossness to see the river monitoring station first hand, and have a welcome meeting to discuss the future of the river environment with the troops at the front line.
HPA TREC study - self reported illnesses
Calling all river users - PLEASE report all illnesses attributable to contact with river water using the HPA TREC self reported illness form.
Wandsworth Guardian - 9th September 2005
There have been a number of articles and letters following the Thames sewage issue. Follow this link and search under 'Thames sewage' for the complete list. Wandsworth Guardian
RATS press release - 7th September 2005
After a year of intense sewage study we have put together a formal statement and list of objectives. (see RATS statement) Thames Water have issued a prompt response, which I have included afterwards.
Tideway update - 28th August 2005
The outflows from Mogden have been seen in action, discharging under the waterline into the main stream of the river at Isleworth Ait (between the pink house and Richmond lock). Attracting masses of seagulls there are about 6 outflows showing at the surface as large muddy brown swirls. Presumably much of this discharge is treated waste water, but the seagulls are very interested in something!!!
Tideway update - 24th August 2005
After the second batch of heavy rains, the water flow has picked up considerably and there is a noticeable increase in weed and tree debris making its way down the river. The overflows are running, but it looks like the worst of the rubbish has been cleared out by the previous overflows. Take extra care, high risk of infections at present.
Swim the Thames - 15th August 2005
Andy Nation swims the Thames ... but not without suffering from the sewage squits. The courageous effort from the 55 year old had to be aborted after 14 days reaching Teddington from Lechlade because of the health hazard.
Tideway update - 10th August 2005
Beware of the river water at the moment. I have reports of four rowers picking up bugs from the river in the last month. One hospitalised for a week for septicaemia - others were infected wounds, conjunctivitis (eye infection) and flu-like symptoms. Summer water quality is poor and made worse by overflows after any amount of rainfall.
June discharge over 1 million tons
Figures have just been released by the EA for the raw sewage discharge at the end of June. A few localised storms were responsible for the flushing out of the sewer system into the river and left Putney embankment with a brown water line for days afterwards. The resulting mess then took more than 2 weeks to clear the upper tideway.
BBC news report - 20 July 05
Tom Kelly, Head of wastewater ops at Thames Water suggested helpfully afterwards that rowers should stay off the river after strong rains and sewage discharges. With an average of 50 such events every year and an estimated 2 weeks to clear out after every event, that doesn't leave rowers with much time to row.
If Thames Water or the Environment Agency would like to be helpful to aid river users in assessing the hazards, we would be delighted if they could let us know when this is likely, then we could post warnings on this site. Storms such as the short cloudbursts in June were so localised, many rowers would have been unaware that there might have been any problem.
Rowers
fight to rid the Thames of raw sewage
Wandsworth guardian - 23rd June 2005
Rowers fight to rid the Thames of raw sewage Ecological campaigners and rowers have taken their fight for a sewage-free Thames to the European Parliament.
MEP Sarah Ludford has presented the body with a 250-signature petition as part of her campaign to quell the discharge of sewage into the Thames, which she started after Thames Water pumped 600,000 tonnes of raw filth in August 2004, killing thousands of fish.
At the time, many residents believed the discharge was a necessary one-off, brought on by the heavy rainfall clogging up the capital's drainage system. But Thames Water regularly has to discharge raw sewage in the river because London's archaic sewage system cannot cope with the high level of rainfall, the water company said at the time.
A 20-mile interceptor tunnel, which would run
under the Thames and lead the storm water out
to the mouth of the river, has been hailed as
the solution to the problem by both Thames Water
and Baroness Ludford.
But Anatole Beams, founder of the protest organisation
Rowers Against Thames Sewage (Rats), thinks the
pipe is not the answer.
He said: "We do not support the scheme proposed by Thames Water (TW) and the Environment Agency (EA) to build a hugely expensive storage tunnel under the river.
"We feel that the scheme is severely flawed and could not provide the desired solution in terms of capability and capacity." The keen rower said he does not think the pipe is the solution to the problem because one third of the volume of raw sewage is pumped into the Thames because of under-capacity at treatment works, which a pipe would not help.
Instead he suggested the river be reclassified to "controlled water", meaning it would become an offence to disperse polluted water in the Thames.
Barnes Ludford said: "Enough is enough. Londoners are fed up with a stinking river full of dead fish."
Thames Water announce profits are up - 10th June 2005
TW announce their preliminary results for year ending 31/3/05.
Profits are up, Turn-over is up, Dividends are up, and investment has remained largely static over the year. However this is all supposed to change: “The next 12 months will be challenging, as we embark upon our new five-year investment plan, valued at £3.1 billion – our largest programme so far."
We shall see!
Thames South Bank beach given planning permission - 8th June 2005
Lambeth Council have finally given the organisers, Back Row productions, the thumbs up to build a sandy beach on the South Bank Queen's Walk for July and August. Will Thames Water rise to the challenge by keeping it clean, or will it suffer a deluge of London sewage to add to the sandwiches and ice creams?
--==STOP PRESS==--update
6 June2005
ENVIRONMENT AGENCY - admits their previous 20
million tonne sewage discharge figures were hugely
under-estimated.
The Environment Agency have added up the discharge figures for 2004 and come up with a total of 57.4 million tonnes of raw sewage discharged into the river. This is also only likely to represent about 2/3 of the total discharged into the river, as a third of the discharges are said to be 'unmetered'.
This figure comes as no surprise as it tallies with the 240 million tonnes from 2001 to 2004 quoted by the Environment Minister for the years 2001 to 2004, but it does bring into question the ability of the Storage Tunnel project to be the ideal solution as was claimed. The tunnel would run under the length of the tideway and it is not planned to connect to Mogden sewage treatment works at the western extent. 5 million tons was discharged from this plant alone in 2004 directly into the tideway at Syon reach. Discharge volumes can equal the total river flow for one day with catastrophic consequences for the river ecosystems.
Tideway update - 16/5/05
Large amounts of sewage solids floating in the river again by Syon Park this weekend - Is this Mogden cleaning out their storage tanks again? Maybe it is because there has been light rain forecast in the next few days!
--==STOP
PRESS==-- 4 May 2005
RIVER THAMES SOCIETY
- EU to sue UK over sewage?
Pollution of Thames
by untreated sewage - the River Thames Society
by its
Vice-Chair, Lady Berkeley, through Richard
Buxton Solicitors and assisted by
the Environmental Law Foundation, has made
a complaint to the European
Commission about the non-implementation by
the UK Government of the Urban
Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC
("UWWTD")
with the result that
discharges of untreated sewage are regularly
made into the River Thames.
The European Commission has advised the River Thames Society through its Vice-Chair, Lady Berkeley, that they have taken up her complaint, and have now sent the UK Government a letter of formal notice asking them to respond to her complaint by the end of May 2005. If the Government's response to that letter of formal notice is unsatisfactory, the European Commission will then bring proceedings against the UK Government in the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.
Comment from Richmond MP, Susan Kramer
Thank you for your email.
The issue of Thames Water depositing large amounts of sewage in the Thames is one that I have raised direct with the company themselves, together with the MP for Twickenham Vincent Cable. It is an absolute disgrace the amount of sewage going in to the river, and Thames Water are proving too slowly in tackling the problem. The river is a great social and leisure resource yet the way that sewage is being dumped means people, like yourselves, can't use the river for long periods of time. The sewage interceptor tunnel proposed for under the Thames is welcome but will cost £1.7 bn and take fifteen years to complete. Yet the plan is for the tunnel to start at Hammersmith. This flies in the face of the experience of last August when the stretch towards Richmond suffered terrible consequences as a result of sewage spilling into the river.The tunnel needs to start at Eel Pie Island if we are to get the full benefit of the new scheme. Even with the Hammersmith proposal and planned improvements to the Mogden treatment plant I am not convinced we are being offered a watertight solution for the future.
I also believe
the government is taking the wrong approach
on finance. Local residents will face
an additional £40 a year on their
water bills to pay for the scheme on top
of the year on year increases in water
rates. 'It is not fair to ask residents to
pay such a big
share when we live in a great capital city
like London which benefits the whole nation.
Government fails to recognise that not
everyone in our area is rich.
The infrastructure to protect us from raw
sewage and its effects needs to be funded
first and foremost from government. Local
people can make a contribution but not
carry the full
burden and I hope to be in the position
after May 5th of raising this directly
in Parliament.
Yours sincerely, Susan Kramer
Tideway update - 1/5/05
Potty schemes abound in the river at the moment:
Thames water proposal for a water desalination plant at Crossness has been pooh-poohed by the Mayor. The scheme was to take river water and feed it back to us (after a bit of treatment - Mmm, lovely!). An interesting fact is that the water outflow from Crossness sewage treatment works is supposed to be cleaner than the water in the river that they are proposing to desalinate - why are they afraid of using that ... I wonder?
A beach in London!
Yes, why not have a beach in the centre of London? Well, I can think of one reason why I wouldn't want my kids splashing around in the river! Yes there's sand, along with the pebbles and the ...
Tideway update - 27/4/05
River water quality is unchanged (still poor). There have been no noticeable major discharges recently, but we have had an unseasonably dry few months. Some very high tides have been moving a lot of debris around the river.
Thames Tideway Strategic Study
15/3/05 5pm for 5.30pm - 8.00pm
Public Seminar on Sewage Discharges into the
Thames
Members of the Thames Tideway Strategic Study to present
findings of a 4 year study. Location: The Terrace Room,
York House, Richmond Rd, Twickenham.
The study group
has concluded that the only solution to the
current problems would be to build a £1.7bn,
35km interception / storage tunnel under the
length
of the river. The principle
cause of the problem has been determined to
be the influx of rainwater into the sewage
system, but the study
has no recommendations for more
immediate or smaller scale measures to reduce
this. Thames Water funded the survey and are
asking for massive public investment to fund
the project.
Click for Poster
(PDF)
www.thamestidewaystrategicstudy.co.uk
15/12/04 Parliamentary questions
Much more sewage is being dumped into the Thames than previously reported. Official figures produced in by the Minister for Environment, Elliott Morley, in parliamentary questions, reveal the discharge of a total of 240 million tons of sewage since 2001 (annual discharge of 60 million tons), which is 3 times more than previously quoted. This is because of the inclusion of sewage discharged directly from Sewage Treatment Works (supposedly as a result of wet weather) into the river, which accounts for two thirds of the total amount. So the larger part of the problem is mostly due to under-investment in London's inadequate STWs and not the results of the much maligned Victorian sewage/ drainage system.