London sewer system
The London sewer system is part of the
History
Joseph Bazalgette, a civil engineer and Chief Engineer of the Metropolitan Board of Works, was given responsibility for the work. He and his colleagues, including William Haywood, designed an extensive underground sewerage system that diverted waste to the Thames Estuary, downstream of the main centre of population. Six main interceptor sewers, totalling almost 160 km (100 miles) in length, were constructed, some incorporating stretches of London's "lost" rivers. Three of these sewers were north of the river, the southernmost, low-level one being incorporated in the Thames Embankment. The Embankment also allowed new roads, new public gardens, and the Circle line of the London Underground. Victoria Embankment was finally officially opened on 13 July 1870.[3][4]
The intercepting sewers, constructed between 1859 and 1865, were fed by 450 miles (720 km) of main sewers that, in turn, conveyed the contents of some 13,000 miles (21,000 km) of smaller local sewers. Construction of the interceptor system required 318 million bricks, 2.7×106 cubic metres (9.5×107 cu ft) of excavated earth and 670,000 cubic metres (24,000,000 cu ft) of concrete.[5] The innovative use of Portland cement strengthened the tunnels, which were in good order 150 years later.[6]
During the 20th century, major improvements were made to the sewerage system and to the sewage treatment provision to substantially reduce pollution of the Thames Estuary and the North Sea. The sewage works, from west to east, discharging into the tidal Thames in 1950-53 were:[7]
Sewage works | Miles from London Bridge | Flow, million gallons per day |
---|---|---|
Ham | 17.3 above | 0.15 |
Mogden | 15.0 | 83.2 |
Richmond | 12.1 | 5.7 |
Acton | 9.8 | 3.1 |
Beckton | 11.4 below | 190.0 |
East Ham | 11.7 | 4.5 |
Crossness | 13.6 | 96.5 |
Dagenham | 15.1 | 8.8 |
West Kent | 19.4 | 22.6 |
Stone | 20.9 | 0.3 |
Swanscombe | 22.2 | 0.2 |
Northfleet | 24.8 | 0.6 |
Tilbury | 27.0 | 2.8 |
Gravesend | 27.8 | 1.2 |
Stanford-le-Hope | 32.1 | 0.4 |
Corringham | 35.8 | 0.15 |
Nevendon | 35.8 | 0.0 |
Pitsea | 35.8 | 0.15 |
Canvey Island | 37.1 | 0.15 |
South Benfleet | 40.0 | 0.25 |
Leigh-on-Sea | 40.0 | 0.45 |
Southend-on-Sea | 44.6 | 6.6 |
Modern development needs
The original system was designed to cope with 6.5 mm (1/4") per hour of rainfall within the catchment area, and supported a smaller population than today's. London's growth has put pressure on the capacity of the sewerage system. During storms, for example, high levels of rainfall (in excess of 6 mm per hour) in a short period of time can overwhelm the system. Sewers and treatment works are unable to cope with the large volumes of rainwater entering the system. Rainwater mixes with sewage in combined sewers and excess mixed water is discharged into the Thames. If this does not happen quickly enough, localised flooding occurs (surcharge). Such sanitary sewer overflow can mean streets becoming flooded with a mixture of water and sewage, causing a health risk.[citation needed]
In redeveloping the
Thames Tideway Scheme
Increasing the carrying capacity of London's sewerage system has been debated for some years. The new '
Literary or media references
This section needs additional citations for verification. (July 2023) |
- The system plays a part in English writer Neil Gaiman's 1996 novel Neverwhere.
- The system plays a part in Australian writer Lost(a.k.a. The Drowning Man).
- It featured as one of the Seven Wonders of the Industrial World in the BBC television series of the same name.
- Montmorency(beginning with Montmorency: Liar Thief Gentleman?) novels are set against the backdrop of construction of the London sewerage system.
- The construction of the London sewer system is central to the plot of Anne Perry's 2006 novel Dark Assassin, in which the Great Stink is also mentioned.
- The title character from Terry Pratchett's Dodger, based on the Artful Dodger from Oliver Twist, spends much of his time in London's sewers alongside notable historical figures including Bazalgette.
- A BBC documentary entitled The Five Billion Pound Super Sewer focuses on the Thames Tideway Scheme.
- Charles Palliser's novel The Quincunx features the old, pre-Bazalgette London sewers of the early nineteenth century in an extensive sub-plot.
- The sewer system served as the hideout of Professor Ratigan in Disney's 1986 film The Great Mouse Detective.
See also
Notes
- ^ Cadbury, Deborah (2003). Seven Wonders of the Industrial World. London and New York: Fourth Estate. pp. 165–6, 189–192.
- ^ Abellán 2017, p. 9.
- ^ Cadbury 2003, pp. 194–196.
- ISBN 9780747804956.
- ^ Goodman, David C. and Chant, Colin (1999). European Cities and Technology (London: Routledge).
- ^ Cadbury 2003, p. 183.
- ^ Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (1964). Effects of Polluting Discharges on the Thames Estuary. London: HMSO. p. 82.
- ^ Royal Docks, LDDC Completion Booklet, 1998
- ^ "Pumping Station" – An 'Architectural Primer', John Outram. Retrieved 2011-09-30.
- ^ a b "Who will pay for the Thames Tideway Tunnel?". Thames Water. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
- ^ "Timeline". Tideway London. Archived from the original on 12 February 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
References
- Abellán, Javier (2017). Water supply and sanitation services in modern Europe: developments in 19th-20th centuries. 12th International Conference of the Spanish Association of Economic History. University of Salamanca.
- ISBN 978-0-525-53885-1.
- Skilton, David (2007) ‘"Sweet Thames, run softly": the Construction of a Clean River’, Literary London Journal 5 (March 2007)
- Trench, R. and Hillman, E. (1984) London Under London: A Subterranean Guide (London: John Murray).
External links
- "How Bazalgette built London's first super-sewer," by Alwyn Collinson, 26 March 2019, Museum of London
- "Construction of London's Victorian sewers: the vital role of Joseph Bazalgette," by G C Cook, The Fellowship of Postgraduate Medicine
- Tales of the underworld from The Guardian Wednesday 30 March 2005