An information request to Thames Water by the environmental charity reveals two developments in Ealing flushing sewage into nearby rivers.

The charity, Friends of the River Crane Environment (FORCE), submitted a Environmental Information Regulation (EIR) request to Thames Water after it suspected that several blocks of flats in north and west London were connected into the surface water drainage rather than the foul drainage system.

Of the seven developments, three are in the London Borough of Barnet, two in Ealing, and two in Harrow.

Five of the developments are discharging sewage into the River Brent and Thames Water has known about one of the developments, an estate of 14 homes in Ealing, since 2018.

Others were discovered in 2021, 2023 and 2024. 

The request also revealed that from the two developments in Ealing, one of them is a development of 14 housing units and the other is unknown.

FORCE reported that none of the developers has taken steps to remedy the situation and that, in at least one case, they are attempting to pass on the costs to the leaseholders. 

FORCE Trustee Rob Gray said: "We were appalled at the extent of this pollution problem and by the approach shown by the developers and/or freeholders - in first allowing this gross misconnection failure to be constructed, then failing to resolve it for up to six years, and finally (in at least one case) apparently seeking to pass the costs of repair on to their leaseholders." 

Ben Morris, Brent River Park charity trustee and founder of the Clean Up the River Brent campaign (CURB), added: "This is a catastrophic failure of regulation. It is now possible to build, market and sell properties that flush sewage straight into our rivers, and no-one spots it until it is too late.

"The regulatory system has broken down, and nobody wants to bear the costs of looking after our environment. Sewage pollution kills wildlife and turns healthy rivers into disgusting drains.

"This is where the sewage scandal and the leasehold scandal overlap. Developers cut costs, the rivers get polluted and by the time anybody finds out, it's left to the residents to pick up the bill." 

A Thames Water spokesperson said: "Households and buildings which are connected to the wrong drainage pipe can have a serious impact on the environment.

"Most misconnections will have been done entirely by accident but is the responsibility of the property owner, which is why we would urge freeholders or developers fitting new connections to make sure they're plumbed in properly.  

"We have identified 7 buildings in the Brent and Crane area which are misconnected, and have made those responsible aware to ensure all wastewater is taken to our sewage works where it can be safely treated.

"We have a programme of work to help identify and investigate misconnections and we also fund local projects across our region, which have been a great way to increase awareness of the issue, while involving communities to take stewardship and help manage their local environments."

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