£80 rise in water bills as London ‘super sewer’ approved

Thames Water customers could see their bills rise by up to £80 by the mid-2020s after the Government approved plans to build a “super sewer” in London. The 25-kilometre Thames […]

Thames Water customers could see their bills rise by up to £80 by the mid-2020s after the Government approved plans to build a “super sewer” in London.

The 25-kilometre Thames Tideway Tunnel will run from Acton Storm Tanks in West London to the Abbey Mills pumping station in East London, with a storage capacity of 1.2 million cubic meters. It is designed to stop raw sewage overflowing into the Thames.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles and Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss said there is a “good case” for the proposed £4.2 billion development.

Mr Pickles added: “This is a challenging infrastructure project but it is clear that the Thames Tunnel will help modernise London’s ageing Victorian sewerage system and make the River Thames cleaner and safer.”

Last year around 55 million tonnes of sewage polluted the River Thames, according to the water company.

Construction is scheduled to start in 2016 and completed by 2023. The project is expected to create more than 4,000 jobs.

Latest Podcast