MAJOR UPDATE FOR THAMES SEWAGE PUMP PLANS AND PUBLIC CONSULTATION
Digital TDRA Project Update Newsletter – May 2026
Thames Water is launching a new public consultation process from 21 May until 18 June to hear more views about the controversial plans for the Teddington Direct River Abstration scheme (TDRA) or the ‘Thames Sewage Pump’ as local campaigners have described the project.
The company also claims it has pushed back its plans to submit a full planning application from later this year to early next year to allow time to ‘consider further feedback from local communities and stakehiolders.”
In a detailed public consultation document Thames Water states: “The Teddington Direct River Abstraction (TDRA) project is a vital part of our long-term plan to secure water supplies for London. In 2025, we held a statutory consultation on our proposals. Since then, we have been considering all the feedback received, engaging with stakeholders, and developing our design.
“At our statutory consultation in 2025, we presented several options for elements of the project, and we’ve now made some key decisions.
“The feedback process has influenced a number of design changes to the project, including the removal of above ground works at Ham Playing Fields, decisions on the outfall position and Thames Lee Tunnel connection, and moving the proposed location of the Tertiary Treatment Plant within the Mogden Sewage Treatment Works site.
“We have also identified specific areas – land near Burnell Avenue and Beaufort Road – where further changes to our proposals may be needed. Before we progress, we want to hear your views on those changes. We are therefore holding a supplementary public consultation from 21 May to 18 June 2026.
“We’d previously planned to submit our application for development consent – seeking the powers to build the project – later this year, but now we plan to submit it in early 2027, which will give us the time we need to consider further feedback from local communities and stakeholders, and continue to develop our proposals.
Leonie Dubois, Head of Land, Engagement nd Consents for Strategic Resource Options at Thames Water says in the glossy document: “The Teddington Direct River Abstraction (TDRA) project
is one of the key proposals that would help London keep running smoothly during times of drought.
“Last year, more than 14,000 people and organisations shared their views on our proposals during our statutory public consultation. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback.
“Since then, we’ve been carefuly reviewing it all, alongside continuing discussions with key stakeholders and analysing further information from technical assessments and surveys. This important process has alowed us to make several design changes to the project and we’re pleased to be able to confirm the removal of theintermediate shaft at Ham Playing Fields from the design.
“We have identified specific areas – land near Burnel Avenue and Beaufort Road – where further changes to our proposals may be needed. Before we progress, we want to hear your views on those changes.
“We are therefore holding a supplementary public consultation from 21 May to 18 June 2026. We’d previously planned to submit our application for development consent – seeking the powers to build the project – later this year, but now we plan to submit it in early 2027, which wil give us the time we need to consider further feedback from local communities and stakeholders, and continue to develop our proposals.
How to find out more
In-person event
You can drop in and talk directly with the project team about the updated proposals near Burnell Avenue on Tuesday 2 June 2026 from 2pm to 8pm at St. Andrew’s Church Hall, Church Road, Ham, TW10 5HG.
Online event
You can also join our online public information event on Monday 8 June 2026, from midday to 1pm. Please register in advance below.
Have your say
Share your views on our latest proposals for land near Burnell Avenue by:
- filling in our online feedback form
- emailing us at TDRA@Ipsos.com
- writing to us, free of charge, at FREEPOST TDRA CONSULTATION
- filling in a printed feedback form and posting it to us free of charge
Teddington Direct River Abstraction
Supplementary Consultation Feedback Form
We would like your views on our latest proposals. You can find out more about the project and view our supplementary consultation materials on our website at https://www.thames-sro.co.uk/TDRA/haveyoursay2026(opens in new tab)
We’d recommend using this online questionnaire but if your response is likely to be lengthy or technical you could also:
- email our dedicated consultation response email address at TDRA@ipsos.com
- write to us free of charge at FREEPOST TDRA CONSULTATION
All responses must be received in writing, using one of the methods described above, by 11.59pm on Thursday 18 June 2026. Responses received after that date may not be considered. We cannot guarantee acceptance of consultation responses submitted via other methods.
You don’t have to answer every question or complete every part of the feedback form. If you do not wish to answer a question, please click on the ‘Next’ button to move on.
If you need assistance completing this questionnaire, or have any questions, please contact us by email at info.tdra@thameswater.co.uk or via our dedicated consultation phone messaging service at 0800 124 4877.
Additional information
Our consultation is open until 11.59pm on 18 June 2026. Responses received after that date may not be considered. We cannot guarantee acceptance of consultation responses submitted via other channels.
Our online feedback form has a character limit of 4,096 characters for each question, which equates to roughly 750 words per answer. If your responses are likely to be lengthy, you might prefer to email or write to us.
Explore our latest project update to see how the design has evolved and discover what’s coming next in our most recent newsletter. Click the button below to read more.
You can see more here: Digital TDRA Project Update Newsletter – May 2026