• Thames Water is seeking tunnelling specialists as it works to progress its Teddington Direct River Abstraction project. 
• The nationally significant infrastructure project is critical to securing water supply for millions of Londoners.
• The company forecasts a shortfall of 1 billion litres of water every day by 2050. 

The UK’s largest water company has launched procurement for the tunnelling works required to deliver a vital drought resilience project for London. The Teddington Direct River Abstraction project would provide up to 75 million litres of water each day during drought, supported by water recycling. 

The project forms part of Thames Water’s Water Resource Management Plan (WRMP), which was approved by the Government last year, and which sets out the company’s plans to secure water supply for the next 50 years and beyond. Funding to progress the project has also been approved by Ofwat under Thames Water’s 2025 – 2030 business plan, with construction anticipated to start in 2029, subject to planning approval. 

Tender notice for the Tunnelling and Connection works 

Following extensive market engagement over the last year, Thames Water has issued a tender notice for the tunnelling and connection works required for its London drought resilience project. 

The company requires specialists who can deliver two tunnels including:  

• An approximately 4.2km route using tunnel boring to connect the new Tertiary Treatment Plant (water recycling) and the River Thames, upstream of Teddington Weir.
• River abstraction and transfer to the existing Thames Lee Tunnel (TLT): The river abstraction would be located approximately 175m upstream of the proposed new outfall. The abstracted river flow would be conveyed to the TLT through a smaller diameter (up to 2.2m ID) pipe installed using a pipe jacking technique.

Interested suppliers can access tender documents here.

How the project works 

The project would enable the company to abstract more water from the River Thames during periods of drought, upstream of Teddington Weir. The water would be transferred along a new connecting pipeline to an existing underground tunnel. It would then join the Lee Valley reservoirs in East London, ready to become drinking water.  

To replenish the river, highly treated recycled water, which has gone through an additional cleaning stage known as ‘tertiary treatment’ would then be transferred from Mogden sewage treatment works and released into the River Thames at a new discharge location upstream of Teddington Weir. This would compensate for water taken to help protect the environment and local wildlife.

To find out more about the project, visit Thames Water’s dedicated website.