Sewage Works Upgrades
Last reviewed: 27.8.2012 - 8.44pm
Crossness Sewage Treatment Works
We are carrying out a £220m upgrade at Crossness Sewage Treatment Works in east London.
Work at Crossness will help prevent sewage entering the River Thames during heavy rainfall.
The improvements will enable the site to treat 44 per cent more sewage than it does now, significantly reducing the amount of storm sewage that overflows into the River Thames during heavy rainfall when the site becomes overloaded.
The project will also include the installation of a wind turbine that will help generate up to half the energy needed to power the site when combined with the energy generated from processing sewage sludge.
This wind turbine – which will be capable of powering 1,000 homes – will be the first ever to power a major British sewage works.
The upgrade at Crossness will also see new odour-controlled treatment processes and environmental enhancements.
Enhancement work is also taking place at Crossness Nature Reserve and the Southern Marshes - including creating a suitable habitat for water voles and birds.
Other work includes installing a temporary 70-metre-high anemometer, which will provide information on wind speed ahead of detailed design of the new wind turbine, planned to be installed in 2013.
Crossness currently serves two million Londoners. The project is due for completion in 2014, and allows for a six per cent population increase until 2021.
