Tag: Thames Water

Reading Festival sewage turned into electricity

Stuart Mitchell

Hundreds of thousands of litres of sewage from the toilets at Reading Festival was transformed into renewable energy. Thames Water worked night and day to process and treat the enormous quantity of poo and pee generated by thousands of music fans over five days. But festival-goers were also being urged to be mindful of what else goes into the toilets after tents, mobile phones and sleeping bags have had to be fished out in previous years. Nine tankers, which can each carry almost 19,000 litres of sewage, worked from 6am…

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Energy efficient bricks made from human waste to help build new homes

Stuart Mitchell

A flush deal signed this week could see Londoners’ waste used for building new homes. In a breakthrough development, Thames Water has found an inventive way to use sewage – which already generates renewable power – to help create a material for carbon negative heavy-duty bricks. Every day, the waste of four million Londoners entering Europe’s largest sewage works in Beckton is drained of water, with the leftover solids roasted in the company’s waste-to-energy incinerator. The high temperatures sanitise the waste and release heat for producing electricity on site. The…

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International Women’s Day highlights importance of diversity and inclusion

Stuart Mitchell

Thames Water hosted a series of inspirational workshops and motivational sessions to celebrate International Women’s Day. Held throughout last week, at both operational and office sites, hundreds of employees joined the company’s Women’s Network at various events to mark the day and recognise the achievements and successes of women across the business. Topics spanning personal confidence, career development and networking were covered, and attendees made a commitment to support #balanceforbetter, which was this year’s theme for the day. At Thames Water, 35 per cent of employees are female, 15 per cent above…

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‘Spray train’ keeps tracks and taps flowing

Stuart Mitchell

An environmentally-friendly herbicide is keeping tracks and taps flowing up and down the country thanks to a partnership between water companies and Network Rail. Eight ‘spray trains’ cover hundreds of miles every night to prevent over-growing plants and weeds – and ice when temperatures drop – from disrupting train services. Thames Water was one of the first water companies to work with Network Rail’s predecessors to ensure the chemicals used did not pollute waterways, which often run parallel to rail lines. The project was first launched in London and the…

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Thames Water speakers raise mental health awareness at first schools

Stuart Mitchell

Students at nine schools across London and the Thames Valley were the first to take part in wellbeing sessions led by Thames Water’s community speakers as part of Children’s Mental Health Week, which launched on February 4. With support from the mental health charity Mind, staff from the water company gave talks in school assemblies in Berkshire, Oxfordshire and East London. They also hosted roundtable discussions to provide Year 11 students with practical tips on improving and maintaining their mental wellbeing, as they prepare for the world of work. Karl…

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