Thames River Regeneration Project in the U.K.

Thames River Regeneration Project in the U.K.

The River Thames in the United Kingdom, a major river 346 km long that flows mainly through London, faced serious pollution during the 19th and early 20th centuries. In particular, the "Great Stink" of 1858, when a large amount of untreated sewage flowed into the river and the stench reached Parliament, triggered a strong awareness of the need for sewage treatment.

Subsequently, a sewerage system designed by Joseph Bazalgette was completed in 1865, and although a temporary improvement was seen, industrialization progressed in the 20th century, and industrial effluent containing chemicals became a major source of pollution. Heavy metals (lead, cadmium, etc.) and organic compounds, in particular, accumulated on the river bottom, and aquatic life became almost non-existent.

Since the 1950s, the Thames River Cleanup Project was initiated. Major efforts include the following
1.**Sewage treatment facilities**: Large-scale sewage treatment plants were constructed in Bexley and Barking, near London, to enhance wastewater purification capacity. 2.
2. **Industrial effluent regulations**: The Thames River Authority, established in 1963, tightened regulations on businesses. In particular, chemical plants were required to comply with effluent standards, and companies that violated these standards were subject to hefty fines.
3. **Thames Tideway Tunnel Project**: Construction began in 2014 on a 25-km-long sewage tunnel that aims to modernize the city's old drainage system and prevent untreated wastewater from entering London during heavy rains.

These efforts have dramatically improved water quality since the 1970s; in 2016, salmon were once again identified in the Thames, and the river has now recovered to support more than 125 species of fish. The tourism industry has also developed remarkably, with more than 1 million river cruise passengers per year, and redevelopment along the coast has led to the development of luxury residential and commercial properties.

In addition, the Thames regeneration project includes a response to rising water levels due to global warming. The Thames Barrier, a movable seawall completed in 1984, protects the city of London from storm surges and flooding. The system is still in operation dozens of times a year and is recognized worldwide as a model for urban disaster prevention.

Thus, the Thames Restoration Project has been a great success both in terms of environmental improvement and economic development of the city, and serves as an important guideline for water quality improvement projects around the world.