Dear Thames Water,
According to your sewer overflow map; your permit with the Environment Agency plus your annual return for storm overflows, the South Park Sewer Overflow (CANM.0918) discharged to the Lake 55 times in 2023, 39 times in 2022, 65 times in 2021 and 69 times in 2020. Conversely Thames Water now says that this sewer doesn’t in fact discharge to the Lake, but to the River Roding via a pipe under the Lake. This would mean that all of the data you have put in the public domain is inaccurate. It also means that this sewer is unconsented, not having an accurate permit.
Either way the number of discharges triggers an investigation under the water industry Storm Overflow Assessment Framework (more than 40 spills on average over three years, as recorded by your monitors).
Citing the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 I would like to request the following information:
1) In a previous reply to London Waterkeeper you said hydraulic capacity was the reason for the high number of discharges at sites like this, what percentage at South Park are caused by rain? 2) When do you expect to complete an aesthetics Impact Assessment score for the overflow; an Invertebrate impact score for the overflow; a water quality impact score for the overflow? 3) In a previous reply to London Waterkeeper you said that a natural drainage or SuDS option had been developed for this site and costs look to be too costly, but you are exploring all options. When do you expect to have finished this process? 4) Ofwat has now said you can’t have all the money you want for investment, will this delay improvements at this site?
The above information will help us understand how sewer overflows are being managed in South Park/Roding. Transparency is fundamental to this process. Electronic answers to the above questions are fine.
Yours faithfully,
Your name