London’s long-awaited super sewer, designed to prevent sewage pollution in the River Thames, is now operational. The western section of the Tideway project was delivered by BAM as part of a joint venture with Morgan Sindall Infrastructure and Balfour Beatty.
In May 2024, the 25-kilometer sewer was connected to the 6.9-kilometer Lee Tunnel, completing the entire ‘London Tideway Tunnel’ network. This system, with a combined capacity of 1.6 million cubic meters, is set to protect the Thames from harmful sewage overflows.
Data released by Tideway Ltd revealed that on September 23rd, 2024, during a heavy rainfall event, the tunnel captured 589,000 cubic meters of stormwater, despite only a few connections being active. Currently, valves at four out of 21 locations across the system are open, with the remaining sections expected to come online over the coming months, ultimately reaching full capacity.
Richard Prime, Managing Director of Major Projects at BAM, expressed his pride in contributing to the Tideway project: “This modern engineering marvel will protect the River Thames for generations, aligning with BAM’s vision of a sustainable tomorrow. The project not only enhances biodiversity but also reconnects communities with the river, bringing Londoners closer to the heart of their natural environment.”
Tideway CEO Andy Mitchell echoed the significance of this milestone: “This is a pivotal moment for the Thames. After eight years of construction and the hard work of nearly 25,000 people, the super sewer is operational. Although it’s early days with more connections and testing ahead, the positive impact on the Thames will grow, delivering the cleaner, healthier river London deserves.”
Daniel Ibrahim-Webster, BAM’s Senior Environmental and Sustainability Manager, who worked on the project for eight years, added: “The river will become cleaner and more biodiverse in the years to come, thanks to the remarkable engineering beneath our feet. This project ensures a cleaner River Thames for future generations, and being part of that is incredibly rewarding.”
Once fully operational, the sewer system will have the capacity to hold the equivalent of 640 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Teams are currently focused on bringing the system to full capacity, connecting additional discharge points and performing extensive testing under various weather conditions, including storms.
The project is expected to be fully operational by 2025, at which point Thames Water will take over management as part of London’s wastewater network.
