Latest news with #supersewer
Telegraph
6 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Thames Water crisis threatens London super-sewer
Thames Water's debt crisis threatens to trigger millions of pounds in losses for London's £4.5bn super-sewer. Tideway Tunnel, which owns the project, has sounded the alarm ahead of a looming handover later this year – with bosses fearing Thames could withhold cash in its scramble to avoid nationalisation. The sewer owner said it is closely monitoring Thames's plight and has sought assurances from the Government to ensure the project will not be threatened if the company collapses into special administration. In its latest annual report, Tideway said: 'We continue to note Thames Water's evolving financial position and this has led to concern that their situation might change. 'There is a possible risk that Thames Water, given its current financial position, or a special administrator may choose not to pay an element of Tideway's revenue. 'This would not be consistent with Thames Water's licence and would be expected to lead to a breach and enforcement action.' As part of its contingency plans, Tideway also considered the possibility of Thames failing to support the sewer's operations, warning that this 'could affect our ability to deliver our investment programme on time and on budget. 'If Thames Water does not comply with the revenue agreement, it could have a financial impact,' the company added. Concerns over Thames Water's future come as the company struggles under the weight of a £17bn debt pile. The company admitted last month that it could enter a taxpayer-backed special administration regime if a rescue deal led by more than 100 creditors fails to succeed. Thames's financial crisis is in stark contrast to the completion of Tideway, which has been hailed as a rare infrastructure success story. The 25km tunnel under the River Thames, which became fully operational earlier this year, represents the biggest improvement to London's sewage network in 150 years. Buried 67m deep, the concrete pipe is designed to ease pollution pressures by redirecting sewage away from the river and into a treatment works in east London. While Thames will not own Tideway, it is expected to be charged an annual fee for its use of the sewer. This will be paid to Bazalgette, a company bankrolled by a group of banks and pension funds. A Tideway spokesman said: 'Tideway is a completely separate, independent company set up to deliver the Thames Tideway Tunnel project. 'This vital new infrastructure is now operational, and has already diverted away nearly eight million tonnes of sewage that would have historically spilled into the Thames. 'We remain confident that Tideway's revenues are well protected given water industry legislation and the licence obligations that apply to both Thames Water and Tideway. We continue to work effectively with Thames Water to deliver the benefits of the project.'
BBC News
07-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
King Charles jokes with workers at Thames Tideway super sewer
Kings visits Thames Tideway Tunnel 'super sewer' The super sewer at Abbey Mills Pumping station photographed before completion last year King Charles has told workers at the Thames Tideway Tunnel a "humongous horror" of rain is bound to fall. He was responding to the information the "super sewer" worked better when it rained, as he marked the completion of the 10-year work. The tunnel has been fully connected since August last year and prevents half a million tonnes of sewage from entering the river every year. Tideway - the firm behind the project - said the it would reduce sewage pollution into the river by 95%.
The Independent
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
King jokes with workers during visit to London's super sewer
A 'humongous horror' of rain will come, the King jokingly reassured workers during a visit to London's new super sewer. Charles visited the Thames Tideway Tunnel on Wednesday to mark the completion of the 10-year project, which is designed to protect the River Thames from sewage pollution well into the future. The 25km long sewer will intercept, store and ultimately transfer sewage waste away from the Thames with a combined capacity of 1.6 million metres squared. Tideway said the super sewer will reduce sewage pollution into the river by 95%. Thames Water will then operate the system as part of its London wastewater network. The King met construction workers and storemen at the project in Embankment, central London, to see first-hand the benefits of the system and see the technology in action. When told some sewage work is made easier when it rains, he joked: 'Don't worry, it's all going to come in one humongous horror.' The project took 20,000 people eight years to build, costing £4.5 billion, and is one of the largest engineering projects the capital has seen in recent years, stretching from Acton to Beckton. The tunnel is 7.2 metres in diameter, the equivalent of three London double-decker buses, and the two connection tunnels are five and two metres in diameter, respectively. Four giant tunnelling machines were used to excavate the main super sewer. During his visit, Charles met poet Dorothea Smartt, whose poetry about the Thames is printed on the site's ventilation columns. The King asked: 'Have you done a different poem on each one?' Thames Tideway chief executive Andy Mitchell, who gave the King a tour of the site, said: 'The King was fascinated with the detail, the quality, the humanity of the space. 'The team was absolutely thrilled the King commented on the quality. There's huge passion here.' To get to the site, Charles rode the Mars Clipper, an Uber Boat usually used by passengers into and out of central London. He waved at a group cheering from a passing boat. The pair laughed about Mr Collins' experience rowing on the Thames.
