Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced a £7.15 million investment to improve the health and accessibility of London’s rivers and mitigating flood risks. The hope is to tackle road runoff pollution affecting waterways such as the River Thames and the River Wandle.
Road runoff pollution occurs when contaminants like oil, pesticides, and bacteria are washed into rivers during rainfall, significantly degrading water quality and harming aquatic life. The new funding will be spent on infrastructure improvements designed to prevent these pollutants from entering London’s rivers.
“We’re determined to make London’s rivers something we can all be proud of,” Khan said at a launch event.
The investment may align with ongoing efforts to restore and preserve the River Wandle, a nine-mile chalk stream flowing through south London before joining the Thames at Wandsworth. Historically impacted by industrial pollution, the Wandle has seen significant restoration efforts in recent years, leading to the return of species such as the brown trout.
Complementing these initiatives is the Thames Tideway Tunnel, commonly known as the “super sewer,” a 25-kilometer tunnel designed to intercept and prevent approximately 95% of sewage overflows from entering the Thames. The tunnel is expected to be fully operational this year, marking a significant milestone in improving the river’s water quality.
An underwhelming park in Putney
The Tideway project has also given us the Putney Embankment Foreshore public park: a 500-square-meter area, opened in September 2023, that features timber-laid benches offering panoramic river views and artworks, including bronze oar handrails and a marker for the University Boat Race start line, but which has proven more popular with drinking teenagers and drug dealers than local residents. Plans to turn the space into a regular food market that were proposed by the Conservative candidate for Putney at the last election appear to have gone nowhere.
In addition to these efforts, the Mayor has pledged to make sections of the Thames swimmable by 2034: an ambition that has raised safety concerns. Grace Rawnsley, Director of Sustainability at the Port of London Authority (PLA), cautioned that while improving water quality is essential, the tidal Thames presents inherent dangers. She noted that in 2023, 31 fatalities occurred due to individuals entering the water unsafely, and 109 rescues were conducted in 2022. Rawnsley emphasized the importance of public awareness regarding these risks: “It’s about that knowledge, it’s about doing it in a safe way, and certainly in the tidal Thames we would always be discouraging that.”
The Mayor’s office has acknowledged these concerns, clarifying that while the tidal Thames is not suitable for swimming, efforts are underway to identify and improve safer locations. A spokesperson for Mayor Khan said: “The Thames and its tributaries are the lifeblood of London, which the mayor is committed to cleaning up and protecting so that all Londoners can safely enjoy the benefits of nature – including swimming where safe to do so.”
Not great options for swimming
The Mayor launched a London Open Water Swimming Guide late last year which comprises a leaflet that shows eight places across London where it is safe to swim. The nearest to Putney is The Serpentine in Hyde Park. Nevertheless, the focus remains on enhancing water quality and ensuring public safety in designated areas.
Despite some movement forward, recent incidents have underscored the ongoing challenges in maintaining river health. Last month, an estimated 4,000 liters of diesel spilled into the River Wandle from a bus depot storage tank in Thornton Heath, Croydon. This spill affected the chalk stream from Beddington to Wandsworth, threatening wildlife habitats and undoing years of conservation efforts. Bobby Dean, MP for Carshalton and Wallington, described the incident as an “environmental disaster,” emphasizing that it has “undone decades of work by hundreds of volunteers who have helped restore the Wandle from an ecologically dead river to a thriving ecosystem.”
The Environment Agency responded promptly, deploying officers to contain the spill and initiating an investigation to hold the responsible parties accountable.
And then there was the widely reported story this time last year where rowers for last year’s Boat Race were advised to stay out of the Thames, cover up any blisters or cuts, and wear footwear getting into and out of their boats, due to high levels of E.coli found in the water.
Clean water activist group River Action said tests it had carried out in the previous month showed 10 times what is considered a safe level of E.coli in the water opposite Fulham Reach Boat Club and put the blame squarely on Thames Water for dumping sewage into London’s iconic waterway.
This incident highlights the vulnerabilities of urban rivers to pollution and underscores the necessity of robust infrastructure and vigilant monitoring to protect these vital ecosystems. The collective efforts of city officials, environmental agencies, and local communities remain crucial in balancing ecological restoration with public safety and enjoyment, ensuring that waterways like the Thames and the Wandle continue to thrive for future generations.
