Thames Water has just opened a new ‘black water’ sewage treatment plant which will provide non-drinkable water to irrigate gardens and lawns at the London 2012 Olympic park.
The new Old Ford facility was opened by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Caroline Spelman and is the biggest works of its kind in Britain.
The £7m facility takes waste water from the Northern Outfall sewer and produces around 570,000 litres of recycled water every day.
The recycled water will also be used to flush toilets at the games site and will make sure the Olympic Delivery Authority exceeds their target of 40% water-efficiency.
Caroline Spelman stated:
“Despite our reputation as a rainy country, we may face a future with less rainfall and less certainty about when that rain will fall. If we want to make sure we have a reliable supply of water in the future we all need to play our part now. Projects like this, which safely recycle water and prevent the need for fresh water to be used where it isn’t needed, have a crucial role to play. Next month, we will set out our plans to ensure there is safe and secure water supply in the future.”