Sadiq Khan launches London rivers and waterways clean-up plan
Currently, none of London’s rivers are assessed as being in “good” condition.
The Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, has launched a 10-year Clean Rivers and Waterways plan to transform London’s rivers.
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The project aims to rid London's waterways of pollution, making them safe and accessible for Londoners and ensuring nature and wildlife can thrive.
It will focus on ten key locations across London where the restoration of blue and green spaces can deliver the fastest and widest benefits for Londoners.
London’s rivers and waterways stretch across more than 600 kilometres of the city but have suffered decades of neglect and pollution.
Five times more sewage flowed into London’s rivers in 2023 than the year before, with devastating consequences for wildlife.
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Today, none of London’s rivers are assessed as being in “good” condition and the equivalent of 1.8 Olympic-sized swimming pools of sewage-polluted water is discharged into London’s rivers from misconnected properties every day.
More than 50 partners, including boroughs, water companies, charities and community groups, were brought together to develop the Clean Rivers and Waterways plan for London.
To help kick-start the 10-year plan, which is backed by £1.8 billion from partners over five years, the Mayor has pledged an additional £ 2.7 million to support new blue and green restoration projects in the city over the next three years.
This boosts the existing £13.55m he has already pledged to transform the capital’s waterways.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “London’s rivers and waterways are the lifeblood of the city but for too long, they have been neglected, polluted or cut off from the communities around them.
"Habitats that should support otters, kingfishers, water voles, fish and other wildlife have been damaged by sewage, road runoff, litter and decades of underinvestment.
"The impact has been felt by nature and by Londoners, particularly those communities that already experience the greatest environmental inequality.
“I firmly believe access to nature is an issue of social justice. Through this ambitious plan we will work with partners to tackle pollution, restore nature and open up new swimming and recreation opportunities, improving access to help Londoners enjoy and reconnect with their waterways.
"We will clean up London’s rivers in the same way we cleaned up our toxic air, bringing about lasting change as we work to build a greener, fairer city for everyone.”