What currently happens to Londons sewage?
Like many older cities, much of London is served by a ‘combined’ sewerage system, which collects domestic and industrial sewage, as well as rainwater run-off from roads, roofs, pavements etc. This ‘wastewater’ is conveyed to five main sewage treatment works, where pollutants that would otherwise harm the environment are removed. But heavier rainfall can fill the system to capacity and, rather than allowing sewage to ‘back up’ and flood homes, businesses, streets and gardens, it overflows into the River Thames and the River Lee. This is the way that the system was originally designed to operate, when it was built 150 years ago.
Like many older cities around the world, the vast majority of London is served by a ‘combined’ sewerage system, which collects foul sewage, as well as rainwater run-off from roads, roofs and pavements. This ‘wastewater’ is conveyed to five main sewage treatment works, where pollutants that would otherwise harm the environment are removed. However rainfall can fill the system to capacity and, rather than allowing sewage to ‘back up’ and flood homes, businesses, streets and gardens, it overflows into the River Thames and its tributary the River Lee. This is the way that the system was originally designed to operate, when it was built 150 years ago by Sir Joseph Bazalgette.
