London Waterkeeper

These trickles on Hampstead Heath are a long way from what the Fleet becomes, but they remind us that London was a city defined by its rivers.
4/4

21.02.2025 15:00 — 👍 5    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0

Further down, there are just hints that the Fleet used flowed here. Street names or bends in the road.
The once pastoral scene at St Pancras Old Church now has asphalt instead of water.
3/4

21.02.2025 15:00 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

At Kenwood House you do get the sense that you are looking down a wide river valley.
The dips and hollows give the headwaters somewhere to gather.
2/4

21.02.2025 15:00 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

The only glimpses of the River Fleet are at Hampstead Heath before it disappears into the sewer system.
Its wiggly journey to the Thames at Blackfriars is best shown on the old London County Council Main Drainage map at Abbey Mills Pumping Station.
1/4

21.02.2025 15:00 — 👍 8    🔁 2    💬 1    📌 0

London's sewage crisis: will the Super Sewer solve it? With the opening of the long-awaited new 'super sewer' in London, we have some established speakers to answer the key question - is the new Super Sewer the answer to all our problems?!Theo Thomas, CEO...

How do we stop rivers in London being polluted?
@CPRELondon is hosting a webinar next Thurs lunchtime (23rd) "London's sewage crisis: will the Super Sewer solve it?"
With @curb and @EnvAgencySE.
(It won't just be about the super sewer).
Free tickets:
cpre-london.eventcube.io/events/69231...

21.01.2025 17:24 — 👍 7    🔁 3    💬 0    📌 1

We'll be talking too.
Other issues:
How does London’s sewage system work and what difference will the super sewer make?
Why is London's sewage system is in crisis and what is this doing to our rivers and waterways?
How we can all help in our own homes and gardens?

15.01.2025 16:33 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Newsletter Dec 2024 – London Waterkeeper

Ofwat plays poker on a tightrope with Thames Water bills to increase by 35%:
The regulator says the company’s Business Plan for 2025-30 is Inadequate. It has put them in a ‘turnaround oversight regime’ and appointed an independent Monitor.
Dec newsletter:
www.londonwaterkeeper.org.uk/newsletter-d...

20.12.2024 19:31 — 👍 3    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0

The Brent Lodge Park sewer in full overflow to the River Brent.

Brent Lodge Park sewer overflow was featured in the C4 doc as we knew it spilled but didn't appear in the records.
C4 also revealed that Northumbrian Water had 61 unconsented sewers. Severn Trent 420. Are they on the WaterUK map? Local groups could ask their water company
4. End

25.11.2024 17:21 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

A screenshot showing the true number of sewer overflows on the Brent Catchment. More than double than previously reported to the Regulator.

We discovered that in London there were almost double the number of sewer overflows that the regulator & public hadn't been told about. Unmonitored & no permits.
We pressed Thames Water & they appeared on the map in Dec 2023.
www.londonwaterkeeper.org.uk/newsletter-d...
3

25.11.2024 17:21 — 👍 5    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 0

We pushed Thames Water to put sewer spills online, in real-time first, in 2017.
We cited the Env Info Regs 2004 that legally required it, almost having to take them to court before they sensibly committed to displaying them (nearly 2 yrs ago). But this wasn't the whole story...
2

25.11.2024 17:21 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

A screenshot of Water UK's announcement that all English water companies are now publishing their sewer overflows online.

English water companies are now showing real-time sewer overflows. As the Environment Act 2021 requires.
This is good of course. But are all the unconsented sewers on this new map?
Channel4 Dispatches found 100s of sewer pipes "off the books"
youtu.be/ilhC5Ekp3eo?si… (5m48s)
1

25.11.2024 17:21 — 👍 4    🔁 3    💬 1    📌 0

Whether we call it making London a Sponge City, it boils down to reversing the paving over of so many small green spaces.
BBC News - London flooding: Should the capital become a 'sponge city'? - BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

23.11.2024 12:41 — 👍 3    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

We need to boost street-level flood protection in London.
Where we have a combined system rain goes down drainpipes & into sewers.
Instead the green spaces in front of many properties could have small basins created to take the rain off roofs & slowly release it.
Currently they're underused.

23.11.2024 12:41 — 👍 4    🔁 3    💬 2    📌 0

Not inserting this clause into the Water Industry Act 1991 leaves the law weaker.
Doing it would be an easy win for the new Government.
Rather than loopholes we need greater control of water companies.

23.11.2024 12:26 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Theo Thomas - the founder and CEO of London Waterkeeper - holding our flag and Waterkeeper Alliance’s flag at the March for Clean Water recently in London. Photo credit: Sarah Saunders

Me with a London Waterkeeper flag by the River Thames. I am a founding trustee and Chair of London Waterkeeper. Photo credit: Sarah Saunders

We now have a #LondonWaterkeeper Bluesky account! @ldnwaterkeeper.bsky.social 🐟 🌊 We’re a small charity advocating for London’s rivers and waterways 🩵 We’re part of #WaterkeeperAlliance a global movement of #Waterkeepers united for clean, healthy, and abundant water for all people and the planet 🌍

21.11.2024 21:14 — 👍 12    🔁 4    💬 1    📌 0

Letter from the Government which doesn't confirm when the clause will be activated.

The last Government didn't fully activate its own law, the Environment Act 2021.
The clause to make water companies "secure a progressive reduction in the adverse impacts of discharges from storm overflows" isn't in force.
We asked the new Government to do it, they haven't yet.

21.11.2024 21:03 — 👍 2    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 0