Thames Water told to fix leaks before taking water from rivers to tackle drought

Environment expresses concern biodiversity in rivers as it dashes drought resilience plans

(AFP via Getty Images)

Thames Water has been told it must tackle its significant leakage problem just one day before it begins pumping water from the River Thames and Wales.

The water services company, responsible for leaks of around 630m litres of water per day, had recently published its plans for tackling drought across London and the southeast.

Its ideas included taking millions of litres a day from the River Thames and replacing it with treated effluent. It also planned to abstract 155m litres a day from Wales via the River Severn.

But recent analysis of the 2024 draft water resources plans saw the Environment Agency urge Thames Water to return to the drawing board and take swift action against its leakage problem.

“Thames Water leaks more water than any other company. The company has struggled to maintain its planned level of leakage, especially over the past year,” the report reads.

“Given the size of the leakage issues faced by Thames Water, we expect the company to invest in new research and development to identify ways it could substantially reduce leakage further than the 50 per cent reduction target by 2050.”

Thames Water’s plans listed a series of projects aimed at seeking out new water resources for London and the southeast for the coming years amid an increased threat of drought.

It raised a “water recycling” project as the most time and cost-efficient solution, which would see 75m litres of water a day abstracted from the River Thames at Teddington, west London, and replacing it with treated sewage from the nearby Mogden sewage treatment works.

The Environment Agency said it was concerned an increase in water temperatures and changes to the salinity of the river would affect fish and biodiversity.

“Given that the Teddington direct river abstraction has not yet been shown to be feasible or environmentally acceptable, the company should ensure alternatives are progressed. Thames Water should ensure any options selected are resilient, reliable and do not cause any adverse environmental impacts,” it added.

It also expressed doubt over Thames Water’s plans to take 155m litres of water a day from Wales via the River Severn.

“The Environment Agency is not convinced this is a viable solution. We have a number of concerns about its resilience, particularly in a changing climate,” the report reads.

It says the River Severn reached very low levels last summer and the water required by Thames Water may be needed by other suppliers for their own drought resilience.