Construction workers building London’s “super sewer” are being lowered 40m to the bottom of a vertical shaft. Engineers and construction staff have spent the past seven years creating the biggest-ever upgrade to the city’s 19th-century sewers. The existing sewerage network, designed by civil engineer Joseph Bazalgette in response to the infamous “Great Stink” in 1858, is no longer sufficient due to the population growth of the British capital. Raw sewage has been flowing into the Thames once again, as the network wasn’t built to handle both sewage and rainwater. An average of 40 million tonnes of untreated sewage spills into the river each year.
The £4.3bil (RM25.3bil) upgrade, known as the “super sewer”, is a 25km tunnel with a diameter of 7.2m. It will carry sewage only when the existing sewers are full, diverting the overflow away from the Thames. The project has seen 10,000 workers and six tunnel-boring machines operating through different geological areas. However, controversy surrounds the privatised water sector, accused of chronic underinvestment in their networks. Last year, there were 825 sewage spills a day into UK rivers and coastal areas. Thames Water, whose customers are funding the tunnel, has faced criticism for its £14bil (RM82.3bil) debt.
The completion of the tunneling phase is expected to trial in 2024 and fully operational by 2025. This project aims to intercept and remove 95% of the sewage spills, creating a healthier environment for the wildlife in the river. However, experts warn that more investment is needed in water companies outside of London to address similar pollution issues.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
