Thames Tideway Tunnel: Hammersmith Pumping Station – Highly Constrained Working
This case study outlines the delivery of the Thames Tideway Tunnel’s combined sewer overflow (CSO) interception works at Hammersmith Pumping Station, one of the project’s most technically constrained and operationally sensitive sites. The design and construction had to accommodate a narrow worksite, residential proximity, an adjacent property development, and the critical requirement to keep the pumping station fully operational throughout.
Key engineering solutions included upstream CSO interception to optimise flow capture and reduce reliance on pumping, along with the design and installation of a large-diameter vortex drop shaft, connection tunnel, and interception chamber. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and physical modelling were used extensively to inform hydraulic design and ensure performance under varying conditions.
Construction was marked by a high degree of collaboration with Thames Water and neighbouring stakeholders, innovative temporary works to manage live sewer flows, and precise structural interventions adjacent to fragile 1960s infrastructure. The use of early-warning sewer monitoring systems enabled four years of incident-free work within a highly aggressive environment.
The Hammersmith site exemplifies best practice in multidisciplinary engineering, stakeholder engagement, and adaptive construction techniques under extreme spatial and operational constraints. The works became operational in December 2024, diverting millions of tonnes of sewage from the Thames and significantly enhancing environmental outcomes.
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This paper appeared in the Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Civil Engineering, the flagship journal of the Institution of Civil Engineers, published by Emerald Publishing Limited.
Image credit: Tideway