Alternatives for Thames clean-up emerge
Friday January 20, 2012
H&F residents, including Cllr Nick Botterill, wearing their 'I am not a brownfield site' t-shirts
There is more than one way to clean up the River Thames and the excessive cost of Thames Water’s super sewer could be halved according to an industry expert.
Chris Binnie, who was the original architect of Thames Water’s controversial £4.1billion super sewer, now says that the benefits of the scheme no longer justify the colossal costs and that there is another solution that might well be compliant with EU rules to limit pollution to the river at half the cost.
In a separate development local authority engineers say that the sewer construction site that Thames Water has earmarked for Kirtling Street, in Wandsworth, could be expanded instead of using Carnwath Road in south Fulham.
Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F) Council is calling on Thames Water to review their tunnelling strategy to enable the sewer to be driven directly from Kirtling Street to Acton Storm tanks – bypassing south Fulham’s tight-knit residential neighbourhood in the process and minimising disruption to residents.
The council says the total drive length would only be 2.7miles longer than the current Thames Water plan and water bill payers cash could be saved by avoiding the need to compulsory purchase land around Carnwath Road and by only having one main site set-up cost, instead of two.
Meanwhile, Chris Binnie says a shorter western tunnel, running from Acton to Heathwall, could be built for around £1.9billion. Combined with the Lee Tunnel in east London, which is already being built, the amount of combined sewage discharged into the river would be cut by at least 72%, according to Thames Water’s own figures.
The other worst offending discharges in the east of the capital, down river at Greenwich and Deptford, can be addressed by ‘bubblers’, as employed very successfully by Cardiff Harbour Authority, and skimmers to collect the floating litter, according to Binnie.
Mr Binnie says: “Considering the large cost increase, before proceeding further, Thames Water should set up an independent review of the benefit of bubblers, and then the west tunnel, if necessary as part of a phased implementation as and when shown to be required.”
The estimated cost of the super sewer, or Thames Tunnel as it is also known, has spiralled from £1.7billion in 2006 to £4.1billion today. This rises to £4.7billion when the £600million cost of the Lee Tunnel is added. However, the EU Directive, which Thames Water often uses as a justification for the single concrete tunnel option, states that any solution to cleaning up the river should use ‘best technical knowledge not entailing excessive cost’ to limit pollution of receiving waters.
Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh, H&F Council Leader, says: “There are now two credible options on the table that could save 14million Thames Water’s customers a fortune and importantly save residents from the unbearable disruption that the construction site could bring. The only losers from either option are Thames Water shareholders who stand to make a large amount of money if the super sewer gets the green light. Despite this, the council is again calling for Thames Water to relook at the alternatives to the super sewer before they make any final decisions.”
Pressure is also building on Thames Water to extend their super sewer consultation as the Mayor of London and Cllr Greenhalgh have both separately written to the Water Minister, Richard Benyon MP, asking him to ‘instruct Thames Water to extend the consultation period to the end of March 2012’.
Thames Water’s current proposals for south Fulham would see homes blighted, roads congested and school children and vulnerable residents all at risk from noxious fumes from the heavy construction work and lorries. Other areas, that were named in Thames Water’s phase one consultation – unlike Carnwath Road, were given more than 18 months to mobilise themselves whereas H&F residents have until February 10 – unless the Water Minister intervenes.
Cllr Greenhalgh concludes: “Thames Water’s current consultation process is deeply flawed and this is why the council is demanding an extension. In the meantime, it is essential that residents respond to Thames Water’s consultation as soon as possible.”
For more information visit www.lbhf.gov.uk/supersewer.
To respond to Thames Water’s consultation visit www.thamestunnelconsultation.co.uk (opens new window) or fill out the simplified consultation form, as prepared by residents which is available at www.stopthesewer.com (opens new window).
The audience at the Super Sewer Summit on December 7, 2011
