Thames Water is preparing to launch a desalination plant in London
Thames Water, a British water utility, is preparing to potentially launch a desalination plant in Beckton, in east London. The company plans to have the facility ready by the end of the year so that, if necessary, it can help replenish reservoir levels this winter ahead of next summer, according to The Guardian.
The plant in Beckton is the only desalination facility of its kind in the United Kingdom. It was designed to use water from the Thames estuary during periods of drought. However, the facility will not be ready until winter, by which time the current drought, according to the publication’s assessment, will likely have already ended.
Thames Water supplies water to 16 million customers in London and the Thames Valley. The company fully opened the plant in 2011, having initially spent 270 million pounds on its construction. The total cost of the facility is currently estimated at 500 million pounds.
Over the past 15 years, the plant has been activated only five times. During that time, it has supplied 7.2 billion liters of drinking water—which roughly corresponds to the capital’s daily water demand for seven days.
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Thames Water stated that the decision to use the plant will depend on weather conditions, demand, and reservoir water levels in the coming weeks. Operating the facility may not be financially viable due to high electricity costs.
Thames Water CEO Chris Weston reported serious problems with the plant to members of the Parliamentary Committee on the Environment last year. According to him, the membranes—which allow water to pass through while retaining salt—had reached the end of their service life by the end of last year. The company was unable to replace them because it lacked a facility to test new membranes.
Meanwhile, water utilities in the UK have imposed bans on the use of garden hoses in an effort to conserve water amid a fifth heat wave, which is exacerbating drought conditions.
