THAMES WATER PREPARES FOR VITAL PUBLIC CONSULTATION OVER TEDDINGTON SEWAGE SCHEME
Beleaguered Thames Water is preparing to launch its major public consultation programme for the controversial Thames Direct River Abstraction (TDRA) project which opposition campaigners have branded the ‘Thames Sewage Pump.’
The water giant – the UK’s largest water company – will launch a ten-week statutory public consultation on Tuesday 17 June which the company says invites people to ‘have their say’ and that ‘feedback received’ will help the company’s submission for the massive project next year.
The opposition to the project is led by a group called SOLAR – Save Our Lands and River – which is trying to encourage Thames Water to consider better alternative drought resilience schemes give the impact on water sports clubs, swimmers, anglers, walkers and tourists. (About – Save Our Lands & River from Thames Water)
Local MP for Twickenham Munira Wilson and Sarah Olney MP for Richmond Park, have written numerous letters to the Government to state their strongly held belief that Thames Water’s Teddington DRA should be removed altogether from Thames Water’s Water Resources Management Plan.
You can read about local MP Sarah Olney’s objections to the scheme here: https://www.saraholney.com/teddington-dra
You can read about local MP Munira Wilson’s objections here: https://teddingtontown.co.uk/2025/06/04/local-mp-wades-into-thames-water-scandal/
One of their letters said: “Our constituents are extremely worried about the environmental impact of these proposals, including on water quality, human health, biodiversity and wildlife.
“Meanwhile, Moormead Park and Ham Lands conservation area are among the precious local green spaces that would be turned from nature sites to construction sites if the scheme is approved.
“This is not to mention the social impacts of the proposals. On any given day, our stretch of the River Thames is alive with people swimming, rowing, kayaking and paddle boarding – whether individually, as a family, or with sporting clubs and youth groups. Ham Lands is a beloved nature site, and Moormead Park is a vital hub for play, sport and recreation – including youth cricket and football – for local families and schools.
“Time and time again, we and campaign groups like Save Our Lands and River (SOLAR) have asked for environmental assessments on human health and biodiversity. With the Environment Agency itself having said that Thames Water have so far failed to show that the Teddington scheme is “feasible or environmentally acceptable”, this alone would be a compelling reason to stop the proposals in their tracks.”
Those who are strongly against the plan claim: “Thames Water wants to pump treated sewage into the River Thames at Teddington,” and adds:
• This is part of a £1billion ’Teddington Direct River Abstraction’ scheme, which will only function for 10% of its 50-year operational life
• When it does operate, it will abstract water in the summer, when the River Thames is at its most ecologically vulnerable, replacing it with sewage
• This ‘treated sewage’ is not cleaned to a level that could go directly into a reservoir.
• The law says these developments must deliver a bio-diversity net gain of 10%, resulting in more or better quality natural habitat than there was before – how on earth is this possible by pumping sewage into the Thames?
• We say NO. This river is our home, our heritage and it’s under threat
In promoting their £242milion project which will involved extensive tunnelling, Thames Water says:
- Thames Water puts customers and communities at the heart of its plans to secure water supply for millions of Londoners.
- The company will launch its public consultation on Tuesday 17 June 2025, with people invited to have their say on its essential Teddington Direct River Abstraction (TDRA) project.
- The feedback received during the consultation period will help inform Thames Water’s Development Consent Order submission for the project in 2026.
- The nationally significant infrastructure project would provide up to 75 million litres of water each day during drought – enough to fill 30 Olympic sized swimming pools.
- Not having enough water to go around could cost London’s economy alone around £500 million each day.
The project has been deemed as of national significance by the Government and would safeguard the drinking water supply for London’s residents, businesses, schools, hospitals and other essential services during periods of drought.
The company predicts it will need an extra 1 billion litres of water every day by 2050 to meet customer demand, expected population growth and climate change.
Water abstracted from the River Thames, upstream of Teddington Weir, would be transferred along a new connecting pipeline to the existing Thames Lee Tunnel. It would then join the Lee Valley reservoirs in East London, ready to become drinking water.
To replenish the river, highly treated recycled water will go through an additional cleaning stage known as ‘tertiary treatment’.
This water would then be transferred from Mogden Sewage Treatment Works and released into the River Thames at a new discharge location upstream of Teddington Weir. This would compensate for water taken, helping to protect the environment and local wildlife.
Leonie Dubois, Head of Engagement, Land and Consents, Thames Water said: “Our public consultation will put communities at the forefront of our plans as we progress this nationally significant infrastructure project, which will secure water supply for millions.
“Once the consultation is live, we want to gather as much feedback as possible and would encourage our customers to join our events throughout the summer, talk to the team to find out what the project means for them, and make sure they have their say.”
Thames Water says it has already acted on community feedback on the project. Last year, it revealed a series of project design changes following feedback gathered during its non-statutory consultation in Autumn 2023.
Changes to the project included reducing the number of construction compounds and number of shafts from eight to four.
This was made possible by opting for tunnel boring, rather than pipejacking to build the tunnel which would transport recycled water. This will have a positive impact on the project’s visual impacts and reduces the number of expected traffic movements.
On Tuesday 17 June, consultation materials, the latest project design, and ways to provide your feedback will be made available on a dedicated webpage.
The feedback received during the consultation period will help inform Thames Water’s Development Consent Order submission for the project in 2026.
The public consultation will run until 11:59pm on Tuesday 26 August 2025 and will ask for feedback on a series of matters including the project’s proposed approach to construction and maintenance, as well as the lasting benefits that it will deliver for the surrounding community.
A Statement of Community Consultation, which is a statutory requirement for the purposes of the Development Consent Order, has been prepared and sets out Thames Water’s approach to consultation. The document has been published on the project’s webpage at: thames-sro.co.uk/TDRA
Isleworth Public Hall, South Street, Isleworth, TW7 7BG.
Wednesday, 25 June 2025, 2pm – 8pm
Book your place here.
Oaklands School, Gresham Road, Hounslow, TW3 4BX.
Saturday, 28 June 2025, 10am – 4pm
Book your place here.
Allianz Stadium (Captain’s Club room), 200 Whitton Road, Twickenham, TW2 7BA.
Monday, 30 June 2025, 2pm – 8pm
Book your place here.
Doubletree Hilton Hotel (Sopwith Suite), 1 Skerne Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT2 5FJ.
Thursday, 3 July 2025, 2pm – 8pm
Book your place here.
York House (Clarendon Hall), Hall Road, Twickenham, TW1 3BZ.
Monday, 7 July 2025, 2pm – 8pm
Book your place here.
St Richard’s Church, Ashburnham Road, Ham, TW10 7NL.
Saturday, 12 July 2025, 10am – 4pm
Book your place here.
The Lensbury (Wimbledon Room), Broom Road, Teddington, TW11 9NU.
Thursday, 17 July 2025, 2pm – 8pm
Book your place here.
Kingston Academy, Richmond Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT2 5PE.
Saturday, 19 July 2025, 10am – 4pm
Book your place here.
TDRA Online information event 1.
Tuesday, 8 July 2025, 12pm – 1pm
Please register to receive your link to attend here.
TDRA Online information event 2.
Wednesday, 16 July 2025, 7pm – 8pm
Please register to receive your link to attend here.
On Saturday 28 June at 10.45 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. at Burnell Avenue Green Space (KT2 5RA). SOLAR – Save Our Lands and River – will also be doing a Q&A on the scheme’s details and the potential environmental damage it will cause.
In short – the campaigners say Thames Water are seeking Government approval to allow the dumping of partially treated sewage into the Thames at Teddington and the abstraction of water when the Thames is at its lowest for transfer to Lee Valley in East London.
They state: “This will also involve the digging of new tunnels causing damage to woodlands, open spaces and homes. Worth attending if you are interested in finding out more about the TDRA Project, it’s environmental impact and the alternatives.”
Useful websites: You can see Thames Water’s TDRA proposal here: Teddington Direct River Abstraction (TDRA) – Thames Water Resources Management Plan
You can read about the campaign against the project here: STOP Thames Water TDRA – Save Our Lands & River from Thames Water