Thames Water should be focusing on its ‘illegal’ sewage spills not powering homes with poo, campaigners say

Thames Water has been slammed by sewage campaigners after the firm’s CEO, Cathryn Ross, said there is an “exciting potential” to use poo to power homes across London.

The Henley Mermaids, a campaign group made up of five middle-aged women who share a passion for river swimming, told NationalWorld that the water company should be “focusing on investing in its own crumbling and inadequate sewerage infrastructure to end illegal sewage dumping” not powering homes using sewage.

The group said that it is “great to hear novel ideas about using sewage to power homes” but we are “a very long way away” from that.

Earlier this month, a BBC investigation found that Thames Water was one of three water companies that had released sewage illegally during dry weather - in breach of their permits. It dry-spilled for 1,253 hours in 2022 at 49 overflow sites.

Henley Mermaids said “urgent investment in infrastructure and a complete restructure” is what is “needed” to “ensure the company serves people and our natural environment rather than the interests of shareholders.”

Previously, Mermaid and Green councillor Jo Robb, said that there are reports “every week” of “children being sick from paddling in the River Thames.