Tideway Tunnel
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. from the Foundation for Water Research www.fwr.org Issue 1, February 2015 Welcome to the winter issue of the FWR Newsletter THAMES TIDEWAY TUNNEL Building for a 22nd century London In September 2014 a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) was granted a Development Consent Order – the Thames Tideway Tunnel is the largest ever NSIP in the UK. This ‘super sewer’ will be 25km long, running from Acton in the west to Abbey Mills in the east. In our lead article, Andy Mitchell, CEO of the Tideway Tunnel, presents the story so far. The Environment Agency is consulting on both its draft River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) and Flood Risk Management Plans. The RBMPs set out measures to improve water in rivers, lakes, estuaries, coasts and in groundwater. The draft plans relate to the second cycle of the Water Framework Directive. See page 5 for details. In ‘Wastewater Matters’ Tim Evans considers the issue of endocrine active substances and whether or not they constitute a serious pollutant threat. For information on events and news highlights please go to our website www.fwr.org. You can also contact us via email ([email protected]. uk) or telephone (01628 891589). The Lee Tunnel, which will eventually connect to the Thames Tideway Tunnel Maxine Forshaw - Editor As we welcomed in the New Year, Andy Mitchell THIS ISSUE the Thames Tideway Tunnel team CEO of Thames Tideway Tunnel Thames Tideway Tunnel was reflecting on – and recovering from – what was probably the most significant by Andy Mitchell, CEO of Thames Tideway Tunnel 1 12 months on the project so far, and the culmination of years of work. Wastewater Matters - Endocrines 4 In September 2014, we received the momentous EA consultations 5 news that the government had granted a WHY IS THE THAMES TIDEWAY Private Water Supplies 6 Development Consent Order (DCO) giving the TUNNEL NEEDED? FWR activities 7 green light for construction of our 25km long ‘super FWR News 8 sewer’, which aims to tackle sewage pollution in London’s sewerage system was designed by Sir the River Thames. The tunnel, from west to east Joseph Bazalgette in the 1860s, for a population FWR Publications 8 London, will be one of the biggest infrastructure of four million people. While the Victorian sewers projects in Europe – but it is one needed to address are still in excellent working condition, they are a serious problem facing the capital’s river. struggling to cope with the demands of London’s growing population. Now, even just a small amount of rain can cause them to overflow, pouring sewage into the tidal River Thames from Combined Sewage Overflow (CSO) discharge points along the river. Currently this is happening on a weekly basis, amounting to around 39 million tonnes of raw sewage discharging into London’s river in a typical year – enough to fill the Royal Albert Hall 450 times over. In 2013, due to the particularly wet weather, the figure was 55 million tonnes, which is the equivalent volume to eight billion toilets flushing straight into the river. Sadly, sewage discharge is the last major source of pollution in the capital’s river. This is a problem that needs to be tackled urgently. It is easy to forget that this waterway through the heart of such a bustling city is Andy Mitchell, CEO, in the Fleet Sewer. actually a vital habitat and migration route will transfer the sewage to Beckton Sewage for a huge number of aquatic animals, and THE PROPOSED SOLUTION Treatment Works. Main work is due to start a valuable nursery for many commercially on the Thames Tideway Tunnel in 2016, with fished species in the North Sea. As many as It has been more than ten years since the aim of completion by 2023. 125 different species of fish have been found discussions started about how best to tackle While this project is absolutely central in the River Thames, including sea bass, eels the issue of sewage pollution in the Thames. to preventing sewage pollution on such and salmon, which we put at risk by allowing Since then, years of study have concluded that a big scale, continuing to develop green this pollution to continue. the most effective way to help prevent this infrastructure and sustainable drainage Along with its ecology, we also have a pollution would be to build a 25km interception, systems (SuDS) will be vital to supplement duty to protect the river’s recreational value. storage and transfer tunnel running up to 65 the tunnel and help to prolong its lifespan. Every day we see it being used for a range metres below the river – the Thames Tideway of activities – rowing, sailing, paddleboarding Tunnel. The tunnel would need to be 7.2 PROGRESS TO DATE and fishing to name just a few. Our, and future metres in diameter and have a capacity of 1.5 generations should be able to enjoy the river million cubic metres, indicating somewhat the Planning a project this size has been an safe in the knowledge that its water is not scale of the problem facing the river. enormous task. Thames Water started dangerously polluted. Thousands of people Starting in west London, the proposed consultation on the project in 2010 and, go on boat cruises along the Thames to take route for the main tunnel generally follows following 114 days of public exhibitions and in some of London’s most popular landmarks, the River Thames to Limehouse, where it over 200 meetings, the biggest planning but we need to remember that the river itself then continues north-east to Abbey Mills application ever submitted in the UK was is one of our city’s most famous and beloved Pumping Station near Stratford. There it handed to the government for consideration features. This magnificent asset deserves to will be connected to Thames Water’s Lee in February 2012. be kept clean. Tunnel, due for completion next year, which More than 400 employees, including civil engineers, ecologists, project managers and architects, work on the project. Although main construction isn’t due to begin until 2016, the past few years have involved meticulous planning and designing in preparation. This has included thorough investigations of the ground to be tunnelled through, while designers have developed a route that will minimise the impact on existing infrastructure in London. To give some more perspective on the scale of the project, it will require 24 construction sites across 14 London boroughs, and the route will pass under 1,301 buildings, 75 bridges, 20km of river walls, 50 in-river structures, 45 tunnels, 24km of gas main, 15km of water main and 18km of sewers. Produced by FWR © 2015 Produced by We have worked closely with organisations across London including Transport for London, the Port of London Authority (PLA), Crossrail and local authorities, and make sure we regularly meet with residents and other stakeholders. We are following in the footsteps of Sir Joseph Bazalgette, the Victorian engineer whose sewer legacy has allowed London to maintain a safe environment to live in for 150 years. We need to ensure that we leave a similar legacy and make sure the sewerage network is long-lasting, protected against CSO discharge point at Vauxhall. 2 Promoting our affordability schemes and social tariff. Route map of the Thames Tideway Tunnel. deterioration mechanisms that can occur in a will create around 4,000 direct jobs in the in a school or supporting educational and sewerage environment. peak year of construction, and a further careers activities, a statistic of which we are Planning the tunnel has included con- 5,000 are expected to be created indirectly. proud. structing state-of-the-art physical models Thankfully, the legacy of other construction Last summer I also announced that I required to design various tunnel components projects such as Crossrail and the Olympics wanted to achieve gender parity by the and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) means we will already have a pool of time we finished construction in 2023. modelling. In the eastern sites, where the experienced engineers and construction Already, 29% of employees on the project ground is predominantly chalk, the shafts will workers equipped to work on the project. But are female; proof we are already making drop straight into the main tunnel instead of we also want to inspire the future generation good progress. But we need to ensure more into a connection tunnel. This has led to the of engineers. The project team works closely is done to address the gender imbalance in need for a unique solution – the creation of with Crossrail’s Tunnelling and Construction the engineering industry, and make certain vortex drop shafts being within on-line shafts Academy, which aims to develop the skills this percentage doesn’t fall as we enter the – which takes away much of the energy of needed for large tunnelling projects in a city construction phase. We have signed up large volumes of falling water, preventing as big as London. to the government’s ‘Your Life’ campaign, damage at the bottom of the shaft. Of the 24 construction sites needed to encouraging youngsters – especially young build the Thames Tideway Tunnel, 11 are women – to study STEM subjects at school, NEXT STEPS located on the River Thames. It is expected while our ‘Encompass’ inclusivity forum meets that at least 4.2 million tonnes of excavated regularly to discuss the barriers facing women The project has been split geographically into material could be transported by barges or in engineering. We want to leave a legacy of three main construction works’ contracts – ships. This will mean a 30% increase to the a cleaner, healthier river, but it’s also vital Central, East and West.