Sewage is being flushed directly into tributaries of the River Thames from housing developments in Ealing, Brent and Harrow according responses to a Freedom of Information request by an environmental charity
Friends of the River Crane Environment (FORCE) learned from Thames Water that seven housing schemes “were built without connections into an appropriate sewer and so far flushing their toilets and other foul water straight into the rivers Brent and Crane in west London”.
FORCE says that Thames Water has known about the situation with a development in Ealing since 2018 and learned about others in 2021, 2023 and 2024.
It made its environment information request at the start of October, saying it had learned of several blocks of flats in north and west London were “connected into the surface water drainage rather than the foul drainage system” and understood that Thames Water had been “investigating these misconnected properties for some time”.
FORCE claims that no steps have been taken by the developers to remedy the situation and believes that in at least one case an attempt is being made to pass the cost of correcting the buildings’ shortcoming on to leaseholders. It argues that it is “highly likely” that similar prolbmes exist in other parts of London and across the country.
Rob Gray, a FORCE trustee, says he is “appalled” by “this gross misconnection failure” and lack of action to correct it and Ben Morris, a trustee of the Brent River Park charity and founder of the Clean up the River Brent campaign has condemned “a catastrophic failure of regulation”.
Misconnected pipes are illegal under Section 109 of the Water Industry Act 1991. Thames has said misconnections are “the responsibility of the property owner” and has “a programme of work to help identify and investigate” them.
OnLondon.co.uk provides unique coverage of the capital’s politics, development and culture. Support the website and its writers for just £5 a month or £50 a year and get things for your money that other people won’t. Details HERE. Follow Dave Hill on Bluesky. Photograph from FORCE.
This is scandalous. What is the response from Borough Councils and the Mayor?
If the developers got something so fundamental wrong, it would be surprising if these developments are completely OK in other respects. Were the electrical and gas installations properly checked? Are the fire safety elements and fire alarms OK? Are even the foundations properly built?
Why are we continuing to pay our Thames Water invoices when they, and their cronies whom they support, continue to risk public health and pollute our environment.
We need to collectively withhold funds – that is the only leverage we have.