Did you know we move more than 4 billion litres of water and wastewater through our water cycle, every single day?

How it works

Step 1 – We extract water from rivers and aquifers

To reduce our impact on the environment and meet the high demand for water, we carefully monitor river levels and use our reservoirs to store extra supplies when river levels are high.

Step 2 – We clean your water

Every day, we clean enough water to supply an average of 2.7 billion litres to nearly ten million people across London and the Thames Valley.

Step 3 – We deliver water to your taps

Helping you save water through our award-winning water-saving schemes is an essential part of our long-term plan to manage water more sustainably.

Step 4 – We take wastewater away

We collect and treat sewage from 15 million customers like you, using our sewer network to transport it to one of our 354 sewage treatment works.

Step 5 – We treat your wastewater

We separate liquid and solids before treating them both to high standards. We use the solids to:

– Generate renewable electricity

We turn poo into power and self-generate nearly 20% of our own energy, sourcing the rest from the renewable electricity grid.

– Send fertiliser to farms

We send nutrient-rich sludge to feed crops on farms, reducing the need for man-made fertiliser.

– Create other useful materials

We use ash from our generators to create synthetic aggregate, which is used in the construction industry.

Step 6 – We return water to rivers

Once your water’s been cleaned through our treatment process, we recycle it back to your local river.

It starts at the source

We don’t just clean water at our treatment works. We work hard to keep your local river clean too. Our dedicated catchment team helps to reduce pollution as well as manage flood risks in your local area.