Teddington vs Thames Water
The private company's controversial plan to build a river construction project in the Ham Lands is due to go ahead, but residents of Kingston and Richmond are fighting back
The public’s relationship with private water companies across the country has been fraught at best, and Thames Water is no exception.
Not only has it demanded a 35% hike in water bills against the backdrop of an apparent free-for-all sewage, Thames Water's fate hangs in the balance until March 26 , as six potential investors circle in on the company and the prospect of temporary renationalisation looms.
However, Thames Water's customers in Kingston and Richmond have not been happy for a long time.
Now, the company's plans to build the Teddington Direct River Abstraction (TDRA) have only deepened the rift between the water company and the people it serves.
Kingston and Richmond are home to the busiest section of the non-tidal River Thames
Kingston and Richmond are home to the busiest section of the non-tidal River Thames
What is the TDRA?
The proposed Teddington Direct River Abstraction (TDRA) will function as a tertiary water treatment centre, as well as a tool for drought resilience.
The TDRA would remove fresh water from the river around Teddington Weir and replace it with treated with treated effluent (sewage). The water that was taking would then be released slowly during periods of drought.
The water company plans to build the abstraction facility on the Thames River Path in Teddington, with a discharge structure to be built on the Burnell Open Space in Richmond.
According to Thames Water, the TDRA “could provide up to 75 million litres of water each day during periods of prolonged dry weather”.
Thames Water predicts the river abstraction would be operational by 2030, with a projected four-year construction process.
However, these plans to build pipes, shafts, and another outflow have provoked public outcry from residents, campaign groups, and local councils.
Thames Water's TDRA will remove water from Teddington Weir
Thames Water's TDRA will remove water from Teddington Weir
Thames Water plans for the TDRA to be operational by 2030/ Credit: Neil Hall
Thames Water plans for the TDRA to be operational by 2030/ Credit: Neil Hall
"Thames Water is not giving the full story. They say that it's for use in a 'very severe drought' and then turn around and show plans for it to be used before even hosepipe bans would be in place. That's not using TDRA in a 'very severe drought'. Which is it?
Residents in the areas that would be affected by the TDRA largely do not support Thames Water’s plans.
Local campaign group Save Our Lands and Rivers (SOLAR) spans across Kingston and Richmond and opposes the abstraction project.
Berni O'Dea, a member of SOLAR, said the water company was not "giving the full story" about the TDRA at the project's 2023 public consultation.
The group is concerned not only about noise disruption during construction, but environmental factors such as the project’s impact on air quality, local wildlife, and water quality.
O'Dea is concerned that ongoing construction in the Burnell Avenue Open Space, which contains habitats for wildlife such as bats and badgers, could disrupt the site of natural beauty .
She feels that Thames Water only met SOLAR with "emotional arguments", resorting to talking about drought restrictions and water shortages in hospitals "rather than telling us why the river abstraction is the best solution to the problem". O'Dea says their response only highlights how weak their argument is for the TDRA.
O'Dea added: "[The Ham Lands] are also an area for residents and tourists to walk around and stop to visit shops or eat in after walking along the Thames. It seems like they haven't thought about how all this construction would affect our communities and businesses.
Berni O'Dea worries that local businesses may be affected by construction related to the TDRA
Berni O'Dea worries that local businesses may be affected by construction related to the TDRA
SOLAR is not the only group that opposes the TDRA. Richmond Council has explicitly pushed back against the project.
So too did Sarah Olney, MP for Richmond Park, after Thames Water’s first public consultation about the TDRA. She wrote that the water company has shown a “serious disregard for the wishes of the community” by continuing with the project.
The Liberal Democrat argued the TDRA would have a “substantial negative impact” on the Ham Lands, which is a Metropolitan Site of Special Interest for Nature Conservation.
Ms Olney wrote: “I believe Thames Water’s approach to the consultation has been extremely poorly considered. It has not asked residents to comment on whether the scheme is in any way suitable for our community…”
Sarah Olney, MP for Richmond Park, has expressed her opposition to the TDRA/ Credit: Johnny Armstead
Sarah Olney, MP for Richmond Park, has expressed her opposition to the TDRA/ Credit: Johnny Armstead
Councillor Gareth Roberts, leader of Richmond upon Thames Council, also criticised the project, even after Thames Water agreed to remove four of the five intermediate shafts that would have run through Richmond, Kingston, and Hounslow.
Cllr Roberts wrote: “Thames Water need to do far more to convince residents that this scheme represents the best solution to predicted future water shortages.
“Until they do that, we will continue to oppose any scheme that we believe could harm the river and our land.”
What does this mean for us?
John, 59, fishes in the Thames every year before close season
John, 59, fishes in the Thames every year before close season
While hikes in water bills and sewage dumping are also deeply unpopular, Kingston and Richmond also make up the busiest section of the non-tidal Thames for recreational use.
The river banks in these south-west London towns are often busy with paddlers, rowers, sailors, swimmers, and fishers.
The full impact of the TDRA on the Thames' water quality and surrounding environment is yet to be disclosed. We therefore cannot know the effect the water could have on the health of those who use the river.
John, a 59-year-old resident in Teddington, often takes advantage of the period before close season to catch bream, perch, and dace on the banks in Kingston.
"[Thames Water] can give their reasons and blame climate change, but they can't pull wool over the eyes of the people here about how they treat the river. It concerns me," says John.
For some residents, their livelihood relies on the river and being able to use it safely.
Jerry Maber-Scott is a watersports instructor and centre manager of Albany Outdoors in Kingston. Concerns around sewage dumping and further construction in the Thames prompted him to work alongside the Leander Sea Scouts to test the water quality independently.
Working on the Thames, Albany Outdoors now adjusts how immersive its activities will be depending on the health risks the water quality might pose on a certain day.
The difficulty in determining the impact of the TDRA is that you cannot isolate the impact of this project from other constructions throughout the river, on top of the increase in sewage dumping over recent years.
According to the Environment Agency, in 2023 there was a 54% increase nationally in sewage spills compared to 2022.
Hours worth of sewage spilled into the River Thames and Hogsmill River in Kingston
Hours worth of sewage spilled into the River Thames and Hogsmill River in Kingston
Adding another outflow for the TDRA could risk Thames Water spilling even more sewage into the Thames in periods of heavy rain.
Do Kingstonians have a voice?
Maber-Scott said he wanted to "give a lot of credit to Kingston Council" for the support they have provided in bringing separate advocacy groups for the conservation of the River Thames together, including River Action UK, Voice of the River, and Mayors for a Drinkable Thames (of which the Mayor of Kingston, Liz Green, and Councillor Ian Manders are members).
A spokesperson for Kingston Council said: "Councillor Ian Manders ... has said that he is concerned about the possible effect on residents and local wildlife of the [TDRA] scheme. There will have to be a study on the environmental impact of the scheme and Kingston Council will be examining the results."
Guildhall in Kingston
Guildhall in Kingston
"Individuals and small groups: we have got to collaborate and join together. We all want the same thing. Let's give our voices to the river!"
But it may not be enough for separate pressure groups like SOLAR across Kingston and Richmond to campaign against projects like the TDRA, isolated from other organisations who are working across other areas of London.
Laura Reineke is a swimmer and the founder of Friends of the Thames (FoTT), a grassroots community that works to facilitate scientific inquiry among citizens and give legal personhood to the River Thames, so the "using and abusing would have to stop".
"I joined the Henley Mermaids [a women's swimming group in Oxfordshire] and I could see an unfairness that needed addressing. I could see the deterioration of water and wildlife," Reineke said.
"We have a Teddington group which is concerned about the TDRA are testing the river for E. coli themselves.
"I do feel a glimmer of hope that, with so many people wanting to get involved, we can amplify our voice as one and we can make a difference."
Leonie Dubois, Head of Engagement, Land and Consents at Thames Water, said: “Our proposed Teddington Direct River Abstraction project is of national significance and is essential to safeguarding water supply for millions of Londoners.
"Customer and community feedback remains at the heart of our plans, and we’ve taken onboard feedback every step of the way.
"Further engagement is also planned for 2025, with events taking place in the coming months.”
Referring to the TDRA's potential environmental impact, Ms Dubois said: "We understand how precious the River Thames and its surroundings are.
"We want to reassure the community that we are committed to ensuring that the Teddington Direct River Abstraction project does not cause a deterioration in the quality of the water in the river.
“We’ve been doing some early work to help build a detailed understanding of the river environment and surrounding areas. This will help us to assess the potential impacts of the project so we can avoid or mitigate them.”
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