Sewage Discharge Notification

To be fair to the EA, we we did get an email from them saying that staff were on standby all weekend, and "we've had to take some unusual preparations to be able to manage tideway water quality tomorrow" and asking for a phone number to keep up up-to-date. It didn't quite explain what the unusual preparations were. Perhaps there is some contingency for backing it up in the pipes and they did that. The extra work at Mogden is all but complete and undergoing testing, I have a sneaky suspicion that perhaps the new tanks were used yesterday as part of that test.

Dont Thames Water give out the SDN,s

Yes they do. When the system works. For monitored discharges only, not "smaller" CSOs eg Putney.
I was just standing up for the EA a bit as they are generally a good bunch of guys trying to do the right thing. Historically what is now EA fisheries was once part of the water companies. When they were privatised they were moved off into the NRA, which was later absorbed into EA fisheries. Hence the feeling that there are 2 parts to the EA, the part that pushes through hydropower and the like, and the part actually doing the right thing for us.

I apologise profusely,
I never realised you were such an expert on matters pertaining to the tidal river.

No I apologise James what I wrote was not intended to be patronising or cause offence.
I'm certainly no expert. Just writing what I think based on what I've found out in the short period I've been at the TAC. I don't like to see the EA fisheries guys knocked too much because I think they're largely in the right place but gagged by more powerful forces in the government. Thames Water should do a lot more to make the systems better, I'm not standing up for them at all.

No ill feelings Ed, i just get a bit racked off with the excuses offered for these people and the excuses they come out with,
This part of the river is slowly recovering with signs of fish returning, too see it wiped out again will prove beyond doubt
that the EA "HIERARCHY" and Thames Water are, to coin a phrase "unfit for purpose".
Number one eyeball will always be the best evidence, followed by Number one nostrils.
If you want proof, plot up outside my place on a muggy night at low tide and take a whiff.
The EA claim the mud is Inter-tidal, cobblers, the mud at Putney is the same colour its always been, muddy brown,
the colour at Hammersmith/Barnes is, as you know, a sickly luminous green, but then reverts to its normal muddy brown colour the further upstream you go, you dont need a diploma to realise the problem is the Hammersmith pumping station,
solutions to this problem have been put forward, but Thames water are adamant the only solution is the much vaunted tunnel, what will happen if the government say the tunnel is to expensive?, have they got a plan B?, of course they dont,
they want the most expensive option on the table, so they get the best return for their foreign shareholders.

.

Regarding the discharges in the early hours of this morning.

The barrier was closed yesterday, and whoever controls the barriers closing (PLA/EA), closed them too early. The water level was down by roughly a metre to the level it was supposed to be for the flotilla to navigate safely. The water between the barrier and Teddington is effectively then static and the oxygen levels were already low within the head of water...

The discharge was going to happen, we all knew that, so when was it best to discharge? Surely that had to be once the barrier was open again and the tide was up i.e. last night? Had Thames Water released the main discharges while the barrier was closed it would have been totally irresponsible, and could have been another disaster for all the creatures within the water course.


Richard

James Annear wrote:

... but Thames water are adamant the only solution is the much vaunted tunnel, what will happen if the government say the tunnel is to expensive?, have they got a plan B?, of course they dont,
they want the most expensive option on the table, so they get the best return for their foreign shareholders.

Be clear James, are you for the tunnel, or against it?

I'm no fan of Thames Water and their mis-use of the licence to pollute the Thames Tideway - as given to them by every successive Govt. since 1989 - but let me be clear, there is only one option to prevent the 'overflowing' abuse of our river (no matter how it gets paid for) and that is the tunnel...


Richard

Walked the Thames today between London & Vauxhall bridges. Probably timed it wrong in truth, and it wasn't until I crossed Vauxhall bridge (3.30pm) as the tide ebbed that I started to see evidence of the discharge. Usual suspects, condoms and varied cotton based detritus running along the south-side of the river.


Richard

I think the level was held at such a point for all the boats to navigate, so full high tide may have caused problems under the bridges, so I understand.

David Harvey wrote:

I think the level was held at such a point for all the boats to navigate, so full high tide may have caused problems under the bridges, so I understand.

Apparently not Dave, the water had enough room for another metre and they closed it too early apparently, thay had set an agreed volume but timed it wrong. At least that what some of the people that were a part of the flotilla were saying on the radio yesterday, as they were struggling to navigate in places.


Richard

Ok mate, at least it didnt spoil a magnificent spectacle despite the pants weather

In answer to your enquiry Richard, "am i for or against the tunnel", the answer is against.
james

if your against it jim,can i ask why?
what would your solution be?

From 18:34 today

Rower notification from Thames Water: Mogden Sewage Treatment Works (STW)

Within the next hour, Mogden Sewage Treatment Works will be discharging heavily diluted storm water into the River Thames.

Storm water is screened, settled in tanks and mixed with fully treated wastewater before it reaches the river.

We regret the necessity to discharge partly treated effluent in this way. Improvements are already under way at Mogden to reduce the chance of this happening in the future.

Until this essential work is done, London's sewer network - which is Victorian - and other facilities will remain overstretched. This means that after heavy rain there is simply nowhere else for excess storm sewage to go, which is why these discharges, though regrettable, are legal and consented.

Regards
Thames Water

Quote :

rower.notification@thameswater.co.uk sent it to me on Jun 6, 2012, 11:16 AM

Rower notification from Thames Water: Mogden Sewage Treatment Works (STW)

Within the next hour, Mogden Sewage Treatment Works will be discharging heavily diluted storm water into the River Thames.

Storm water is screened, settled in tanks and mixed with fully treated wastewater before it reaches the river.

We regret the necessity to discharge partly treated effluent in this way. Improvements are already under way at Mogden to reduce the chance of this happening in the future.

Until this essential work is done, London's sewer network - which is Victorian - and other facilities will remain overstretched. This means that after heavy rain there is simply nowhere else for excess storm sewage to go, which is why these discharges, though regrettable, are legal and consented.

Quote :

ower.notification@thameswater.co.uk sent it to me on Jun 7, 2012, 5:15 PM

Rower notification from Thames Water: Hammersmith Pumping Station (PS)

Following the recent rainfall, Hammersmith PS has in the last hour discharged untreated storm sewage into the River Thames, due to lack of capacity in the existing sewer network.

We are working hard to develop the Thames Tunnel to address the unacceptable volume and frequency of these discharges.

The proposed tunnel would capture flows from the 34 most polluting 'combined sewer overflows' (CSOs) discharging to the river, including Hammersmith PS, and transfer the sewage to our works at Beckton in east London for treatment.

For more information view www.thamestunnelconsultation.co.uk

Regards
Thames Water

Quote :

rower.notification@thameswater.co.uk sent it to me on Jun 7, 2012, 5:16 PM

Rower notification from Thames Water: Mogden Sewage Treatment Works (STW)

Within the next hour, Mogden Sewage Treatment Works will be discharging heavily diluted storm water into the River Thames.

Storm water is screened, settled in tanks and mixed with fully treated wastewater before it reaches the river.

We regret the necessity to discharge partly treated effluent in this way. Improvements are already under way at Mogden to reduce the chance of this happening in the future.

Until this essential work is done, London's sewer network - which is Victorian - and other facilities will remain overstretched. This means that after heavy rain there is simply nowhere else for excess storm sewage to go, which is why these discharges, though regrettable, are legal and consented.

Regards
Thames Water

Luckily these are right on the top of the tide and plenty of fresh water coming over Teddington, never good but at least should aid the dilution.

Does the fact that, despite all the rain, there were no discharges during or around the Jubilee pageant rouse the strong suspicion that TW have some discretion as to exactly when they release the sh*t?

If they can hold it in to some extent, could they be made to admit this, and more importantly agree not to release their stuff during the most sensitive tidal states?

Paul Snell wrote:

If they can hold it in to some extent, could they be made to admit this, and more importantly agree not to release their stuff during the most sensitive tidal states?

Don't quote me Paul, but I would think they already try and do this, although, there certainly wouldn't be any harm asking them.


Richard

Right there are a few things to consider chaps.

Not all rain produces discharges, the amount of rain and how heavy is the main deciding factor. heavy extreme storms will discharge almost immediately, steady rain may not, prolonged heavy rain will.

Time of day, the amount running through the sewers will differ at different times of day. So middle of night, less people flushing, showing, doing the washing up etc.

I am not defending TW here , far from it but we were in contact with the EA all weekend as mentioned before. The rain, as we were told, produced central London discharges overnight on the 2/3rd on the high tide so went out to sea. They were monitoring DO and it got to was 60% saturation and whilst lower, 20% and below is very bad.

Mogden and Hammersmith are only 2 of the 57 CSO's, so whilst pump lots of crap, so do all the others and most are gravity overflows, so no human control what happens there.

Lots Road and Western (Albert Bridge did discharge but not clear on the timings, impression I get is again overnight. The rain on the Pageant didnt start until much later on, so again discharges are not immediate.

I have no doubt both the EA and Thames would have done their damnest (and been told by Boris/Cameron) to avoid any heavy discharges whilst the boats were going down and attempt to direct it further down the system, the network of tunnels is vast but had to come out somewhere. Looking at Liz's boat lovely moored up in between Western and Lots Road, can you imagine if they did flow.

Only when we get the next set of data through will it show what did happen and how much.

Rower notification from Thames Water: Mogden Sewage Treatment Works (STW)

Within the next hour, Mogden Sewage Treatment Works will be discharging heavily diluted storm water into the River Thames.

Storm water is screened, settled in tanks and mixed with fully treated wastewater before it reaches the river.

We regret the necessity to discharge partly treated effluent in this way. Improvements are already under way at Mogden to reduce the chance of this happening in the future.

Until this essential work is done, London's sewer network - which is Victorian - and other facilities will remain overstretched. This means that after heavy rain there is simply nowhere else for excess storm sewage to go, which is why these discharges, though regrettable, are legal and consented.

Regards
Thames Water

Hammersmith and Mogden both going at 00:15

Rower notification from Thames Water: Hammersmith Pumping Station (PS)


Following the recent rainfall, Hammersmith PS has in the last hour discharged untreated storm sewage into the River Thames, due to lack of capacity in the existing sewer network.

We are working hard to develop the Thames Tunnel to address the unacceptable volume and frequency of these discharges.

The proposed tunnel would capture flows from the 34 most polluting 'combined sewer overflows' (CSOs) discharging to the river, including Hammersmith PS, and transfer the sewage to our works at Beckton in east London for treatment.

For more information view www.thamestunnelconsultation.co.uk

Regards
Thames Water

Rower notification from Thames Water: Mogden Sewage Treatment Works (STW)

Within the next hour, Mogden Sewage Treatment Works will be discharging heavily diluted storm water into the River Thames.

Storm water is screened, settled in tanks and mixed with fully treated wastewater before it reaches the river.

We regret the necessity to discharge partly treated effluent in this way. Improvements are already under way at Mogden to reduce the chance of this happening in the future.

Until this essential work is done, London's sewer network - which is Victorian - and other facilities will remain overstretched. This means that after heavy rain there is simply nowhere else for excess storm sewage to go, which is why these discharges, though regrettable, are legal and consented.

Regards
Thames Water

Somebody is automatically capturing these emails to a blog and twitter feed.
http://csoalerts.blogspot.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/#!/ThamesCSOAlerts

To get automatic notifications to your mobile:
1. Get a twitter account
2. Set up your mobile phone number under {person icon}>settings>Mobile
3. Next to Text Notifications tick Tweets from people you've enabled for mobile notifications
4. Click Save Changes (at the bottom of the page)
5. Type ThamesCSOAlerts in the search box at the top of the page
6. Click his name on one of his messages, a box appears, press Follow.
7. Click his {person icon}>Turn on mobile notifications
8. From your phone, text "START" to Twitter (86444)
9. From your phone, text "FOLLOW {twittername}" to 86444 eg. FOLLOW THAMESCSOALERTS (I think this might be the same as doing step 7 from the web).

Quote :

rower.notification@thameswater.co.uk sent it to me on Jun 13, 2012, 9:49 AM

Rower notification from Thames Water: Mogden Sewage Treatment Works (STW)

Within the next hour, Mogden Sewage Treatment Works will be discharging heavily diluted storm water into the River Thames.

Storm water is screened, settled in tanks and mixed with fully treated wastewater before it reaches the river.

We regret the necessity to discharge partly treated effluent in this way. Improvements are already under way at Mogden to reduce the chance of this happening in the future.

Until this essential work is done, London's sewer network - which is Victorian - and other facilities will remain overstretched. This means that after heavy rain there is simply nowhere else for excess storm sewage to go, which is why these discharges, though regrettable, are legal and consented.