Water/Wastewater
River Thames pollution levels found to be at harmful levels by environmental action groups
Sep 03 2024
Surfers Against Sewage are among the environmental campaigners that have tested 24 sites to the west of London, since March 2024. A total of 210 tests have been carried out with 47 of these indicating excessive levels of e-coli and intestinal enterococci.
Water pollution caused by illegal discharges into river has been widely reported in the UK over recent years – there have also been instances when the sewage system is overstretched, due to heavy rainfall. Thames Water has stated that the company is "committed to seeing our waterways thrive" and is making improvements at 250 sites to help minimise overflow discharges.
Official reports have shown that the amount of time in which sewage was dumped into the Thames have more than quadrupled in the last year. Plans by Thames Water to take more water from the river at Teddington, voted as the ‘best place to live in London in 2023 by the Sunday Times, and replace that water with recycled sewage effluent from the nearby Mogden treatment works, based in Isleworth, has attracted significant opposition.
A Thames Water spokesperson stated, "While all storm discharges are unacceptable, the sewage system was historically designed to work in this way, to prevent sewage backing up into people’s homes."
200 site upgrades are under way including a £100m upgrade of the Mogden sewage treatment works, which the spokesperson claimed would increase treatment capacity and reduce storm discharges.
Digital Edition
IET 34.4 Buyers Guide 2024/25
August 2024
Buyers' Guide featuring: Product Listings & Manufacturers Directory Gas Detection - Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) Monitoring of SF6 using precise NDIR Sensor Technology - Review of ‘Gas M...
View all digital editions
Events
Water Infrastructure Conference & Exposition
Sep 08 2024 Philadelphia, PA, USA
Sep 10 2024 Moscow, Russia
Sep 10 2024 Moscow, Russia
Plastics Recycling World Expo Europe
Sep 11 2024 Brussels, Belgium
Sep 11 2024 Singapore & online