Sewer discharges from Thames Water

Thu 5 Jan 2023, 16:59 (last edited on Thu 5 Jan 2023, 17:00)

The problem with excusing the water companies on the grounds that sewer and storm water systems are combined in old properties is that: 1. the need to sort out that problem was cited as a reason for privatising the water companies by the Conservatives in 1989, we've always known about it and privatisation was supposed to provide money to invest and upgrade.  2. there haven't been that many storms and the discharges have continued throughout the lovely summer we have just had.  We voted to scrap the EU based legislation that required us to be mindful of the cost of protecting our environment.  

People know to avoid our toxic waterways and coastal waters.  They may even consider buying water to drink.  Other animals, birds and plants do not.   How on earth can we save them from this poison?  We need them just as much as they need us to behave.

Thu 5 Jan 2023, 16:13

This is hardly a problem unique to Charlbury, to Oxford or indeed to the Thames Water area.  It is nation-wide and results from decades of under-investment by the privatised water industry (which instead has paid out many billions in dividends) and the emasculation of the regulatory regime.  Whether you believe what TW now say or see it as a PR exercise I'll leave to you.  I'll stop there before Richard intervenes!  There are several other Forum threads on the topic, some headed CUTE! (for Clean Up The Evenlode) and if you want to know more, try this

Thu 5 Jan 2023, 15:03

Without wishing to appear to be defending the indefensible, the problem that Thames Water faces here is that the older parts of Charlbury have a combined sewer and storm-water system.  Presumably it is the same in other places.  My understanding is that when it rains a lot, the volume of waste water flowing down to the treatment plant is too much for it to handle, so it is allowed to overflow without being properly treated.

There seem to be two options to sort this out:  either for Thames Water to upgrade its treatment capacity to handle whatever the existing sewers take down to the plant during periods of persistent rain (£££?), or for the whole of the older part of town to be dug up and new, separate sewer and storm-water pipes installed (£££££££ ....).  Whichever - one or the other needs to be done.

Thu 5 Jan 2023, 14:37 (last edited on Thu 5 Jan 2023, 14:41)

There was an item on BBC Oxford news last night about just this. Apparently, if there is a lot of rainfall they can discharge what they like to stop areas flooding. There is a map on another comment from John Partington showing where is discharging at the moment etc.

Thu 5 Jan 2023, 14:00

This link was passed on by a contact in Oxford. Charlbury residents may also wish to pass it on.

The link takes you to an interactive map launched by Thames water for sewer discharges in their area. I find it alarming to see that so many discharges are happening now, or have in the last 48 hours. How can we allow this to happen in the UK? 

https://www.thameswater.co.uk/edm-map