Thames Water’s £6.3 million refurbishment of New River Aqueduct safeguards North London’s water supply

• Thames Water completes £6.3m project to refurbish New River in North London to protect from future flooding risk and prevent leakage

• This artificial waterway is Thames Water’s oldest asset, opening in 1613 to provide Londoners with high quality drinking water

• Investment part of commitment to improve performance, future-proof water supply and build greater resilience

Thames Water has recently completed a £6m project to refurbish a section of the New River alongside Eade Road, future-proofing water supplies to North London and to prevent leakage.

The New River is Thames Water’s oldest asset and was opened in 1613. This manmade asset transfers raw water each day from the source on the River Lea to Coppermills Water Treatment Works. This latest upgrade is part of a wider investment plan by Thames Water, building resilience to this critical waterway, safeguarding North London’s drinking water supply for generations to come.

Sayed Alam, Project Manager said:

“Our purpose is to deliver life's essential service, so our customers, communities and the environment can thrive. This was a major refurbishment project and was completed seamlessly from start to finish, with minimal disruption to the local community and little impact to the New River’s environment.

As custodians of important infrastructure, it is essential to ensure our assets are resilient to the pressures of London’s growing needs and provide resilience in our infrastructure, as we continue to deliver high-quality drinking water for customers across the capital.”

Work was originally completed in March 2025, and the site was released back to the public in June. The project covered a 778m section of the river and took a year to complete utilising the use of Giken technology.

The work was carried out by Barhale, who installed a sheet piled wall using a Giken Piling Rig, reducing noise and vibration during construction.

Barhale’s Water Director for the Southern Region, Shane Gorman, said:

““It was great to collaborate with Thames Water, developing a solution that had a low carbon footprint during construction and a minimal impact to the local environment and residents. Thames Water continues to invest in strategic infrastructure projects across its network, reinforcing customer water supplies and minimising any potential future disruption.”