London’s Aged Sewer System
• Owner/Sponsor: CH2M Hill (for Thames Tideway Tunnel)
• Location: London, England
Services Provided:
- Vortex and baffle dropshaft modeling
- Stormwater conveyance
Thames Tideway Tunnel Project at IIHR
IIHR was a key partner in the massive effort to make London’s sewer system fit for a world-class capital city—one of the largest wastewater infrastructure projects in the world. The Thames Tideway Tunnel (TTT) plan calls for the construction of a 19-mile tunnel system, more than 20 feet in diameter, deep beneath the river to intercept and store the combined sewage until it can be transferred for treatment at an expanded wastewater treatment works. IIHR conducted physical modeling to simulate movement of water and air through the many interception chambers, control gates, dropshafts, and deaeration chambers required to move the flow from the surface into the tunnel system.
Why did TTT turn to a contractor thousands of miles away for these services? IIHR brought unique expertise, experience, and facilities to the project, says David Crawford, chief engineer for systems integration on the TTT project. “There are not many laboratories in the world that can do it,” he says. “The quality of [IIHR’s] work is fantastic for us.” Crawford says the IIHR team also proved competitive economically and technically.