BBC2 Documentary: The Five Billion Pound Super Sewer

Be sure to watch the new BBC2 documentary, The Five Billion Pound Super Sewer. It is a fascinating, three part documentary about the building of the Thames Tideway cross London sewer. The first episode starts with an overview of the project and explains the necessity for the scheme. It then concentrates on the construction of the now completed, first phase of the scheme, the Lee Tunnel.

This links Abbey Mills Pumping Station to the Beckton Sewage Treatment Works and is the conduit through which all of the discharge from the Thames Tideway will flow. Finally, the episode looks at the early stages of the Thames Tideway build, concentrating on a diving team working in the fast-flowing river Thames.

As with the previous BBC documentary, The Fifteen Billion Pound Railway, about the construction of Crossrail, a fun parlour game can be played spotting the Camfaud concrete pumps. You won’t score many points for noticing the pump in the end credits but kudos will be gained from spotting the static concrete pump used for the secondary lining in the Lee Tunnel!