UTILITIES
ensuring that the sewage is no longer able to pollute the Thames .
The situation is worse now than before Sir Joseph Bazalgette constructed the interceptor sewers in the 1850s . These are still the backbone of London ’ s sewerage system . During severe storms , Bazalgette ’ s system was designed to overflow through discharge points on the riverbanks into the River Thames , rather than flooding streets and homes . When designed , this happened once or twice a year .
Today it happens weekly , on average . During its construction , between 2016 and 2023 , the project will employ upward of 9,000 people at peak times . Given the continued national predominance of men over women in construction jobs , TTT ’ s CEO Andy Mitchell has set an interesting goal : achieve gender parity by 2023 . While admitting that as a white , middleaged male he is part of the problem , Mitchell exhibits an enlightened attitude towards the issue .
‘ The engineering marvel that is the TTT is 25 kilometres long , descends 30 metres at its western end and 66 metres at its eastern and is over seven metres in diameter ’
The Lee Tunnel will connect with the Thames Tideway Tunnel
12 April 2015