Mayor dives into action by committing to make London’s waterways swimmable by 2034 and demanding Thames Water start cleaning up rivers

• Mayor vows to bring together companies, agencies and campaigners to clean up London waterways 
• £30m pledged to bringing back nature, greening and adapting London to climate change over next three years, empowering all Londoners to green their city
• New analysis from the Mayor’s team shows that year on year, London’s sewage discharge almost quadrupled in 2023/2024

 The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has today called out the ongoing crisis of sewage in London’s rivers and reaffirmed his commitment to produce a plan to make London’s rivers clean enough to swim safely in within the next decade.  

The Mayor was re-elected for his third term earlier this month. He has pledged to ensure utilities clean up London’s waterways. This will follow on from the success of his world-leading work to clean up London’s air where he has cut levels of toxic air pollution.  

New analysis done by City Hall has shown that the sewage flowing into London’s rivers in 2023/2024 was almost four times the amount for the same period the previous year. Between April 2023 and March 2024 Thames Water released sewage into London's waterways for a staggering 12,105 hours, 37 minutes, equivalent to 504 days.  

Today Sadiq called on Thames Water, the government and its regulators to clean up London’s waterways. While the Mayor does not have the resource or powers to single-handedly force a change, he has pledged to work with key stakeholders to produce a plan that would clean our waterways within a decade – and hold Thames Water and the government to account to deliver on it. He made clear his plan is not just about the Thames but also about cleaning up other rivers, canals and water bodies so that in key places where it was safe and ecologically sound to do so, there would be more open water swimming possible in London. 

While visiting the West Reservoir and Woodberry Wetlands in Hackney today, the Mayor expressed that tackling the nature and climate emergencies is an issue of social justice. He announced he would be committing up to £30m to bring the natural world back to Londoners and adapt our city to the increasing impacts of climate change - with a particular focus on supporting groups run by disadvantaged Londoners and those from ethnic minority backgrounds, who often have less access to green spaces and who are more vulnerable to climate changes. This funding will include money to support rewilding the capital and pay for trees, wildflower meadows, supporting waterways, parklets and other new green spaces.  

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “In too many cities nature is in retreat. We've worked hard over the last eight years to make London an exception, but Thames Water and the UK government need to take action now and start cleaning up their mess. London’s rivers are the arteries of our city and should be a source of pride to us all but levels of sewage that water companies are pouring into our rivers is a scandal.    

“I will not stand by and allow this to continue. As well as demanding clear action from Thames Water, I will launch an ambitious plan to make London’s rivers and waterways so clean that they could be safe for swimming within ten years.   

“I am proud of the progress we have made in cleaning our air, and now it’s time to clean our rivers. By working closely with partners, organisations and communities, we can reverse the trend and make London a greener and fairer city for everyone.”  

The Mayor hailed Woodberry Wetlands and the West Reservoir, as examples of how some rivers and waterbodies can be cleaned up and brought back into use. One reservoir has been turned into a wetland nature reserve filled with aquatic and bird life, and local communities can swim, sail boats and paddle kayaks in the other. Thanks to £700,000 of funding for the West Reservoir from the Mayor, waterside green space is being opened up, swimming facilities are being enhanced and new habitats are being created. 

In addition to the swimming locations by the West Reservoir, Sadiq has already funded and opened up successful open swimming locations filled by the Thames at Royal Docks, and by a borehole at Beckenham Place Park.  

The success of the Mayor’s air quality and climate programmes showed what can be achieved when he brings together a diverse group of companies, government agencies and campaigners to work together towards an ambitious goal.  Now the Mayor wants to explore what needs to be done to key London water bodies to accelerate cleaning them and mapping out specifically what are the ‘quick wins’ along the way that could deliver the greatest improvements in river health now and areas that could be targeted to be cleaned enough for swimming in the Wandle, the Lea, the Thames, and other popular locations where it is safe and sustainable to do so.  

The Mayor has repeatedly held Thames Water to account for failing to tackle the scourge of sewage overflow, with analysis from City Hall showing the amount of effluent entering London’s rivers increased five-fold between 2022 and 2023. He will also continue to demand ministers grasp the scale of this crisis and act before more of Britain’s waterways are destroyed by sewage.  

The Thames Tideway Tunnel will be complete by summer 2025 which will give us a great head start in reducing sewer discharges into the Thames. This immense project echoes previous human-made water projects such as the Victorian sewer system it traces, but Thames Tideway is not the full solution. Water quality in the Thames is affected by what flows into London from upstream and from tributary rivers. Misconnections and Road runoff also causes pollution.  

Today the Mayor was joined in Hackney by David Mooney, Chief Exec, London Wildlife Trust, Tayshan Hayden-Smith from Grow to know and Beth Collier, Wild in the City. Together the group discussed the Mayor’s broader vision for a greener London, and how they can all work with each other to support this.  

David Mooney, CEO, London Wildlife Trust said: “Access to nature and clean water is a right not a privilege. London is one of the most nature depleted places in the world- we cannot accept the status quo. We are proud to stand with the Mayor of London in our collective efforts to bring nature back into our lives. With ongoing funding and committed support from the Mayor,  more people and more community led organisations can take action for nature, amplify the demand clean rivers and help make our city resilient, nature-rich and thriving. “

Tayshan Hayden-Smith, Founder of Grow to Know said: “To harness the potential of both people and planet, we have to start thinking of ways in which we can enable the falling in love of the communities we exist in. There's an art and a poetry to nature which captivates like no other - and whether it's the Mayor's support for Life Under the Westway: Maxilla Gardens, or the cleaning of London's waterways, it is with intention and with purpose that we must take steps forward to amplify nature's existence and influence on audiences that wouldn't other engage with the ecological, historical and cultural essence of their surroundings. Nature access and action needs to be a priority - especially as nature offers solutions and remedies for societal challenges as well that of the environment.” 

Beth Collier, Director, Wild in the City said: “Wild in the City are grateful to the Mayor for recognising that every Londoner deserves access to clean and healthy natural environments which can sustain a biodiversity of life. Socioeconomic outcomes are linked to the quality of the natural environment we live in, clean rivers are important for social justice. We hope this initiative leads to more diverse groups being able to grow and protect nature in their community.”

ENDS