Richmond Council unanimously opposed to Thames Water's extraction scheme at Teddington Weir. 

At a council meeting on Tuesday 3 October, a motion was led by Lib Dem Cllr Julie Nedenf Watts to call on the government to require Thames Water to re-examine more appropriate schemes. 

The controversial water recycling scheme proposes to take water from above Teddington Weir, transfer it via an existing underground tunnel to the Lee Valley reservoirs, and replace it with treated wastewater from Mogden Sewage Treatment Works. 

Cllr Roberts Gareth Roberts summarised the proceedings as a "rare outbreak of consensus" in the council (with 48 Lib Dem councillors, five Green Party councillors and just one Conservative) as well as with parliamentarians. 

The unanimous feeling against the Thames Water scheme was so strong that Cllr Alexander Ehmann said "over my dead body". 

Making the proposal, Cllr Watts said: "Thames Water has indicated a preference to have the river extraction proposals decided through the Nationally Strategic Infrastructure project process. But it's not certain. Richmond [may] yet be the decision-maker as the local planning authority." 

Timescales suggest it will be 2026 before any planning details will be submitted therefore, Cllr Watts went on, it would the proposal would be left to the Council's planning committee to decide on.  

Cllr Watts said: "This council takes its role as a local planning authority very seriously. We also take our role as community leaders very serious. And we heard from our community resoundingly. 

"Swimmers, rowers, anglers and all of those who value their local parks, recreation, exercise and biodiversity and all those who enjoy the river- have expressed concerns about its environmental impact on water quality, including so-called forever chemicals, and the potential impacts of construction on sensitive locations.  

"Others have shared more technical doubts about resilience, and whether this type of scheme can resists silting up at the extraction point. And there are ongoing concerns about Thames Water's priorities in the context of sewage spills and their failures to fix leaks." 

The shafts for the proposed tunnel effluent tunnel could affect Moormeads in St Margarets and Ham lands which is important for nature conservation. Cllr Watts cited the area was "home to key habitats, and species including the brown hairstreak butterfly, the yellow vetchling flower and the hairy bush-pea." 

As chair of the Environment, Sustainability, Culture and Sports committee, Cllr Watts said: "I am dismayed by the possibility of irreversible damage to unique habitats." 

Cllr Penelope Frost said she was working with Save ham Lands campaign group to fundraise money for a "full ecological survey" of Ham Lands to counter the Thames Water's proposals when they publish their environmental impact assessment.   

Speaking for Moormeads and St Margarets, Cllr Katie Mansfield called the scheme "one of the worst environmental options to address the drought problem". She cited the impact of digging up half of Moormead park and the affect this would have on the community. 

Cllr Mansfield called on Thames Water to be more transparent on how it weighted the environment, social and cost impacts and concluded its decision, arguing the "cheapest options mean their bosses get larger bonuses and their shareholders get larger dividends."   

Adding to the feeling, Cllr Jim Millard said: "Richmond upon Thames is often referred to as an affluent borough, Thames Water seems to have misheard that...the affluence in Richmond borough is for all of us.  

"The richness, our heritage, is the open green spaces that are rightly protected, that we're custodians of for a short time that we will not allow building on. Ham Lands is a site of special scientific interest [which is] quite rightly protected."  

Cllr Millard argued the "richness" of Richmond must be protected for all and so any plans to destroy up to five acres of Ham Lands must be avoided. 

Concluding his statement, Cllr Millard said: "I'm really proud of the leadership of this council for separating out our important planning role and providing that leadership, and saying very clearly, no." 

Richmond Mayor, Suzette Nicholson, put the motion to a vote and it was unanimously carried.