In this IIL property lecture Geoff will talk about the history and background to the project, and reasons why the tunnel is needed and how the project is managed in relation to the construction work that is being undertaken.

Built in the Victorian era, London’s sewerage system relies on a network of combined sewer overflows which are designed to release sewage into the Thames during heavy storms. When it was originally built, this would happen once or twice a year, now it happens on a weekly basis and no longer requires a storm to trigger overflows.

After years of study and consultation it was decided that a new 25 kilometer tunnel was needed to intercept the millions of tonnes of sewage that spills into the Thames every year. Starting in West London, the main tunnel generally follows the route of the River Thames to Limehouse, where it then continues to Abbey Mills Pumping Station near Stratford. There it will be connected to the Lee Tunnel, which will transfer the sewage to Beckton Sewage Treatment works.

By intercepting the sewage before it enters the river, The Thames Tideway Tunnel will prevent the tidal River Thames from being polluted with untreated sewage.

By the end of this lecture members would have gained an insight into:

-Why the Thames Tideway Tunnel is needed
-The construction works that are happening and what is coming up within the next year
-How the project is managed

Speakers Bio:
Geoff Loader is an award-winning communications professional with over 25 years experience in journalism, public relations and communications. He currently heads up Stakeholder Engagement and Corporate Responsibility for Tideway. Prior to this Geoff was Director of Communications at Southern Water.

Chair:
Andy Brooks FCII, Consultant, RSA Group.