Thames Tideway Tunnel
Also known as: Thames Tideway Scheme · THAMES TIDEWAY TUNNEL project
- 1The tunnel stretches 25 kilometres from Acton in the west to Abbey Mills in the east.
- 2It is designed to intercept combined sewer overflows that occur during heavy rain.
- 3The project aims to drastically reduce the discharge of raw sewage into the River Thames.
- 4It connects to the Lee Tunnel to facilitate the transport of waste to treatment facilities.
The Thames Tideway Tunnel is a deep-level sewer along the tidal section of the River Thames in London, running 25 kilometres from Acton in the west to Abbey Mills in the east, where it joins the Lee Tunnel which connects to Beckton Sewage Treatment Works. The tunnel is designed to capture almost all the raw sewage and rainwater from combined sewers which would otherwise overflow into the river during heavy rain.
Connections1
modern successor and upgrade to the Victorian system
This ongoing infrastructure project is designed to intercept sewage overflows from the Victorian system, addressing modern capacity issues.
The Thames Tideway Tunnel is a major infrastructure project designed to modernize London's sewage management. Spanning 25 kilometres beneath the tidal section of the River Thames, the tunnel acts as a massive storage and transfer system. It is engineered to intercept combined sewer overflows that occur during periods of heavy rainfall, which historically discharged raw sewage directly into the river.
Thames Tideway construction site, Putney, 2021Wikimedia Commons: File:Thames_Tideway_construction_site,_Putney.jpgPrevious overflow of the sewage network into the River ThamesWikimedia Commons: File:London_thames_mudfls_storm_relief_at_lambeth_bridge_30.01.2012_14-43-22.JPG By capturing this overflow and transporting it to the Beckton Sewage Treatment Works, the tunnel significantly reduces water pollution. This project represents a critical upgrade to the city's Victorian-era drainage network, ensuring that the river remains cleaner and better equipped to handle the demands of a growing modern population.