Written question asked by Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Davies of Oldham (Labour) on Monday, 7 December 2009.

Thames Barrier: Sewage

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there are overflow pipes that discharge into the River Thames between the Thames Barrier and the source of the Thames in relation to which spills are not required to be reported to the Environment Agency.

Answer: Holders of consents to discharge storm sewage to the River Thames between its source and the Thames Barrier are not required, as a condition of their consent, to report spills to the Environment Agency. Under the terms of an agreement made with the Environment Agency, Thames Water notifies the Environment Agency of discharges of storm sewage from the storm tanks at Crossness Sewage Treatment Works and of significant discharges from Western, Lots Road, Hammersmith and Abbey Mills pumping stations. Thames Water also notifies the Environment Agency when it anticipates discharges from the storm tanks at Mogden Sewage Treatment Works. These are all direct discharges to the Thames Estuary, with the exception of those from Abbey Mills Pumping Station, which discharges to Bow Creek in the lower River Lee.

Secondary information