London Unveils £4.5bn Super Sewer to Combat Thames Pollution

The newly opened Thames Tideway Tunnel aims to significantly reduce sewage discharge into the river, marking a major step in improving water quality.

The 25km Thames Tideway Tunnel, also known as the super sewer, has begun operations to intercept and transfer sewage away from the River Thames.
Initial results show the tunnel captured 600,000 square meters of sewage during heavy rainfall, indicating its potential to reduce river pollution by 95%.
Funded by Thames Water customers, the £4.5 billion project is expected to increase annual water bills by approximately £25.
The tunnel connects to the existing Lee Tunnel, completing a network designed to handle 1.6 million cubic meters of sewage.
Construction of the super sewer took eight years and involved 20,000 workers, with full operational capacity anticipated in the coming months.