City Hall analysis reveals a significant rise in sewage discharges into London’s waterways, with Mayor Sadiq Khan calling on Thames Water to take action. Efforts to make all waterways swimmable by 2034 face challenges amid criticism and infrastructure upgrades.
Sewage has been discharged into London’s waterways for over 12,000 hours in the past year, a significant increase from the previous year’s figure of 3,361 hours, according to a City Hall analysis. London Mayor Sadiq Khan attributed these discharges to Thames Water, which is responsible for managing the city’s water services. Khan emphasized his goal of making all of London’s waterways swimmable by 2034, contingent on support from future government bodies.
Thames Water stated that unusually wet weather has exacerbated groundwater infiltration into the sewer system, leading to these prolonged discharges. The company is working on the Thames Tideway Tunnel and other infrastructure upgrades to mitigate this issue. Despite these efforts, Thames Water faces criticism from politicians and the public for its handling of the situation, compounded by its financial challenges and significant debt.
Water regulator Ofwat is considering setting up a special “recovery regime” for Thames Water to help the company avoid nationalization and encourage infrastructure investments. This regime might involve fewer regulatory penalties and more realistic targets for reducing sewage discharges.
Sadiq Khan also announced a £30 million fund to support “rewilding” initiatives in London, which aims to enhance green spaces and improve the city’s resilience to climate change.
