MP Munira Wilson secures debate on Thames Water recycling scheme in Teddington

By Emily Dalton 29th Aug 2023

Teddington water recycling scheme to be debated in parliament. (Photo: Emily Dalton)
Teddington water recycling scheme to be debated in parliament. (Photo: Emily Dalton)

Twickenham MP Munira Wilson has secured a parliament debate on Thames Water recycling plans in Westminster Hall on 6 September.

Thames Water announced in January it plans to withdraw up to 150m litres of water a day from the Thames above Teddington Lock and then replace it with equivalent amount of treated effluent from the Mogden sewage works.

Munira Wilson said in a statement: "The River Thames is woven into the fabric of our community. From Eel Pie Island to Teddington Lock, to the shores of the White Swan pub and the crossing at Hammertons Ferry – the river is a beloved and precious resource that must be protected.

"The Government needs to get its act together and force water companies to act in a responsible way, and these latest plans must be thoroughly scrutinised."

The debate can be streamed via parliamentlive.tv or read online at 4pm Wednesday 6 September.

First suggested in 2019, the proposal was rejected by the Environment Agency. A document related to the Modgen effluent scheme stated the effects pose "potential adverse impacts to ecological communities in the freshwater river Thames as a result of changes in flow and water quality".

The 'recycling' plans put forward by the water company are reportedly aimed to cope with future shortages from increasing population and predicted droughts from climate change.

Wilson added: "Of course we need to future-proof our water supply. But there is a fundamental issue here around trust. People just don't trust the water companies, and for good reason. Thames Water already have a terrible record of protecting our rivers – regularly leaking raw sewage into our rivers and losing 630 million litres of water every day due to leaks. Meanwhile, in the last two years, their top execs were paid £6.1 million, including £2.9 million in bonuses."

In a House of Commons Committee report on the state of UK rivers concluded that no river in England was free from chemical contamination.

Thames Water carried 'high level' consultation in January, February and March on the proposals.

Beginning on 27 January, a petition against the abstraction plants at Teddington Lock has reached 23,873 signatures with 111 people signing this week alone.

Thames Water has argued that the Teddington and Mogden scheme is the quickest and cheapest way to combat the effect of droughts and ensure there is enough tap water in the future.

Thames Water added: "Our water supply is under severe pressure and we must plan ahead to build future resilience for the benefit of our customers and the environment."

     

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