Frequent sewer overflows – Thames Water has published its Storm Overflow Action Plan for all its outfalls. We need them to use natural drainage to cut the amount of rain that gets into sewers and causes them to spill. However, it looks like the water company doesn’t intend to do this in London, the place where this is needed most. Expensive concrete tanks won’t have the multiple benefits that creating lots of vegetated areas would. Thames Water and the Government say using green infrastructure should be a priority. Send our legally binding request to find out if they have properly considered ‘nature based solutions’ across London. We fear that a lack of co-ordination means the authorities think it will be too complicated to create small green areas to soak up rain. London has seen green spaces 22 times the size of Hyde Park paved over. This has increased flood risk and river pollution. Reversing this will make the city more resilient.
The Government’s Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan 2023, page 22:
