Operators' sewage discharges to tidal Thames must end in next 12 months

A ban on commercial vessels discharging sewage to the tidal River Thames will be enforced by the Port of London Authority (PLA) from 1 July 2024.

On 1 March 2021, following a consultation process that commenced in 2017, the PLA announced the ban would be introduced, to give operators adequate time to make alternative arrangements for disposing of toilet waste from on board their vessels.

The move is part of a suite of efforts undertaken by the PLA to tackle pollution in the Thames.

The Clean Thames Manifesto, recently convened by the PLA, commits a range of stakeholders, including water companies, to decrease their impact on the Thames, with a particular focus on sewage.

The PLA also:

• Operates a network of passive debris collectors, reducing litter in the river.
• Works with charity Thames21 and community groups to arrange safe foreshore clean ups.

Studies on how to remove wet wipes that have accumulated in the river near Hammersmith are also underway, along with the commissioning of water quality monitoring.

Bob Baker, chief harbour master at the PLA, said:

“Our goal of eradicating both sewage and plastic from the river, as part of our Thames Vision 2050 strategy, means that vessel operators discharging toilet waste to the river from their vessels can no longer be tolerated.

“Historically the volumes involved were comparatively small, compared to the wider pollution of the river, but that situation is changing.

“In parallel with our own efforts to clean up the river, the Thames Tideway Tunnel due to come into operation in 2025, means the nation’s most iconic waterway is set to become the cleanest it has been for centuries.

“By capturing polluting discharges from combined sewer overflows (CSOs), built into the capital’s largely Victorian sewerage network, the opening of the ‘super sewer’ will be a great day for the river, making vessels’ discharges of sewage no longer acceptable.”

The PLA will audit compliance with the ban and prosecute offenders, who face potentially unlimited fines from magistrates.