Thames Water has had to remind builders that concrete shouldn’t be dumped into London’s drains
Thames Water removes an almighty amount of concrete from the sewers each year, which it says is caused by building companies dumping waste building supplies into drains. It’s caused Thames Water to warn builders that concrete should never be poured down drains or left where it can wash into the sewer system.
Thames Water said it’s seeing repeated incidents where building firms are disposing of commercial construction waste directly into the sewer network. Improperly disposed concrete solidifies in sewers, and specialists have to use water jets to break it down into small pieces so it can be safely extracted without damaging the pipes, costing about £1.6 million a year.
Blockages are detected using ultra-sensitive sewer sensors, and if left untreated, clogging of the sewer network restricts wastewater flow, causing it to back up onto streets and other areas.
Tim Davies, Head of Waste for North London, said: “We are urging construction companies to be more vigilant in their disposal of concrete to prevent damage to our sewer network, as it takes valuable time and resource away from essential infrastructure upgrades. The concrete removal process can be extremely complex. In many cases, we use high-pressure cutting units to break down concrete within the sewer before it can be safely removed.
“This work requires significant investment with expensive equipment, a large team of skilled engineers, and a considerable amount of time to complete. Our teams are working closely with construction companies across our communities to raise awareness of the serious damage and disruption caused by improper disposal.
“My message to businesses and contractors is simple: please ensure concrete is disposed of correctly. Preventing this issue in the first place is far more effective than dealing with the consequences later.”
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