The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is facing pressure to address the issue of sewage dumping in the city's rivers as it has been revealed that water companies in the capital have been

prosecuted only twice in the past four years. Recent data has shown that 31 of London's waterways experienced 1,809 combined overflow discharges, resulting in raw sewage being released into rivers and streams for over 7,000 hours in 2022.

A freedom of information request made by the Liberal Democrats to the Environment Agency uncovered that between 2017 and 2021, the agency took action against pollution incidents in London rivers on only eight occasions, leading to two prosecutions.

In July 2020, Mayor Sadiq Khan made a pledge to reduce water pollution incidents by 30% by 2025. Hina Bokhari, the Liberal Democrats' London Assembly environment spokesperson, criticized the Conservative government for failing to address the problem of sewage dumping. Bokhari highlighted the risks posed to human health, wildlife, and the tourism industry in London and called for action to be taken.

Bokhari also questioned the Mayor's plans to tackle water pollution incidents and the progress made thus far. The suggestion of expanding urban foliage across London as a means to reduce surface water run-off and prevent sewer system overflow during heavy rainfall was put forward.

Thames Water, the largest water and wastewater services company in the UK, stated that their Thames Tideway Tunnel project, set to be completed by 2025, will significantly improve water quality by capturing around 95% of sewage overflows. The company is investing £4 billion in the tunnel, which represents the most significant wastewater project since the creation of London's sewage system in the 1860s.

Thames Water also emphasized its plans to upgrade over 250 treatment and network sites, with some projects already underway, along with a £100 million investment in upgrading its Mogden sewage treatment works. The company expressed its commitment to reducing the discharge of untreated sewage into rivers and outlined its investment program aimed at achieving a 50% reduction in the annual duration of discharges across London and the Thames Valley by 2030.

The Thames Tideway Tunnel, in combination with other ongoing projects and improvements, is expected to contribute to the company's goal of capturing a significant volume of untreated sewage currently entering the tidal Thames. Thames Water has also provided an online map offering real-time information about storm discharges and plans for further improvements across its permitted locations.

While the elimination of discharges will require sustained investment and time, Thames Water affirmed its dedication to progress and emphasized each step taken in the right direction. Photo by Davide Restivo from Aarau, Switzerland, Wikimedia commons.