Lee Tunnel, Abbey Mills, between Hackney and Stratford, London
Operation
Work begun
2016[1]
Constructed
Various (see article)
Opens
2025[2]
Owner
Bazalgette Tunnel Ltd
(trading as Tideway)
Operator
Bazalgette Tunnel Ltd
Character
Combined sewer
Technical
Design engineer
Various (see article)
Length
25 km (16 mi)
Highest elevation
−30 m (−98 ft) at Acton
Lowest elevation
−70 m (−230 ft) at Abbey Mills
Width
7.2 m (24 ft)
CSOs intercepted
34
Cost
£5 billion (2024 estimate)
Proposed route
The Thames Tideway Tunnel is a 25 km (16 mi) combined sewer running mostly under the tidal section (estuary) of the River Thames across Inner London intended to capture, store and convey almost all the raw sewage and rainwater that currently overflows into the estuary. These events occur when rainfall volumes exceed the capacity of Bazalgette's and other engineers' London sewerage system. The tunnelling phase of the project was completed in April 2022;[3] construction ended in March 2024 ahead of a testing and handover phase expected to conclude in 2025.[4]
Bazalgette Tunnel Limited (BTL) is the licensed infrastructure provider for its finance, building, maintenance and operation. It has as investors: Allianz, Amber Infrastructure, Dalmore Capital and DIF. Since the licence award, it also trades as Tideway. On 3 November 2015, the award was made by Ofwat, ensuring the start of the project.[5]
Started in 2016, the project was due to be completed by 2024.[1][6][7] The COVID-19 pandemic delayed this to early 2025.[2] The main tunnel has an internal diameter of 7.2 m (24 ft) and runs from −30 m (−98 ft) at Acton in the west of London for over 25 km (16 mi) across the full width of Inner London finally reaching −70 m (−230 ft) at Abbey Mills in the east.
This tunnel will drain 34 of the most polluting combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and has been forecast to lead to the overflows operating for 3.7% of the time on a maximum of four days per year at the time of commissioning.
The tunnel will transfer the combined sewers water to the Stratford to East Ham Lee Tunnel for onward delivery to Beckton Sewage Treatment Works. Following treatment the water will then be released into the Thames Estuary.
The estimated capital cost – excluding financing, operations and maintenance – was £3.8bn with an additional £1.1bn for preparatory works.[8] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, additional costs of £233m were incurred.[2] The 2021-22 annual report gave an updated cost of £4.3bn.[9] The final cost was £5bn.[4] It is set to become fully operational in 2025.[4][10]
Its outfall, the Lee Tunnel, runs deep under the London Borough of Newham to Beckton Sewage Treatment Works.
^ ab"Timeline". Tideway London. Archived from the original on 12 February 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
^ abcCite error: The named reference TCI-25Aug2020 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Horgan, Rob (29 April 2022). "Tideway | Tunnelling complete on London's 'super sewer'". New Civil Engineer. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
^ abcCite error: The named reference BBC-27Mar2024 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Green light for £4.2bn London 'super sewer'". Thames Tideway Forum. 3 November 2015. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
^"Green Light for examination of Thames Tideway Tunnel Proposal". Thames Water. 27 March 2013. Archived from the original on 7 June 2013.
^"Timeline". Tideway. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
^"Who will pay for the Thames Tideway Tunnel?". Thames Water. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
^"Tideway Annual Report 2021-22" (PDF). Bazalgette Tunnel Ltd. p. 6.
^"In London, the Long Wait for a Super Sewer Is Almost Over". Bloomberg.com. 24 September 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
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