London’s new “super sewer” which has already stopped five and a half million tonnes of sewage from entering the Thames is now fully connected.
The last of 21 connections has been made between the original Victorian sewers and the new 25-km Thames Tideway Tunnel after 10 years of construction, according to Thames Tideway.
Historically, the sewer network has struggled to cope with the twin challenges of population growth and climate change, with rainfall regularly overwhelming the system and causing it to discharge into the Thames.
The full connection should now prevent 95% of sewage spills into the Thames.
The 25km-long super sewer connects to the 6.9km-long existing Lee Tunnel, a Thames Water asset – forming the ‘London Tideway Tunnel’ (LTT) system.
The work of bringing the full system online began in the autumn of 2024, when Tideway announced the first four connections had led to 589,000 tonnes of storm sewage being captured by the LTT in a single, rainy 24-hour period.
Later, in December, Tideway revealed that 848,365 tonnes had been captured during heavy rainfall in another 24-hour period.
Tideway CEO Andy Mitchell said: “This is another significant step forward – with this final connection complete, the super sewer is fully up and running and protecting the Thames. Our next step is to test it in storm conditions – which is why we are keeping a close eye on the weather – and we will do this over the coming months.
“We are at the start of a new chapter for London and its river. Our mission has always been about creating not just a tunnel, but a healthier, thriving environment for the river and its inhabitants. We look forward to seeing a real impact in the years to come and sharing everything we learn about the positive changes.”
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