Thames Water’s Threat to Teddington’s River Reach

[This article has been provided by the Save Ham Lands & River group]

TW’s plan to take 75m litres of water a day, in drought conditions, through an abstraction plant upstream of Teddington Weir to transfer to the Lee Valley, E London via the existing Thames Lee Tunnel. This volume being replaced by treated sewage, piped from Mogden sewage treatment plant Isleworth under Twickenham and the protected spaces of Ham Lands to an outfall into the river from Burnell open space opposite The Lensbury.

SHL&R engaging with TW are rejecting the basis on which this plan is selected – the “best value” model on which their preference is based is flawed and effectively a least cost model and takes no account effectively of environmental and social costs. Water demand projections are overstated and there are better alternatives.

Unanimous Council rejection of Thames Water’s Teddington Abstraction Proposal

Richmond council recently passed a motion unanimously rejecting TW’s proposal: “this Council will robustly resist any plans which we consider damaging to the river and to our own land, where better solutions are viable” Gareth Roberts, Council Leader.

MP’s in active engagement with government

MP’s Munira Wilson and Sarah Olney have expressed strong opposition to TW and are planned to meet the Water Minister, Rebecca Low, and the CEO of the Environment Agency to press for the proper consideration of alternative options and additional flood risks associated with the construction of Teddington DRA scheme.

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