Kingston Council has warned that Kingston Parkrun could be forced to stop permanently if Thames Water proceeds with its controversial wastewater recycling scheme in Teddington, although the utility disputes this claim. The council's warning came in its formal response to Thames Water's consultation on proposed design changes, which has now been published.
Council warns of permanent end to weekly run
The council stated: "It is extremely likely that Kingston Parkrun will have to stop for good. When work starts... it would be difficult for it to go ahead safely due to the construction work on the upper and lower paths." The green space at Burnell Avenue Open Space, where the run begins, is critical for thinning out runners before they head onto the towpath. The council added: "When the works are complete there will be 34 inspection hatches in Burnell green space which impinge on this."
Kingston Parkrun attracts more than 500 runners each week and relies on up to 25 volunteers, according to the council. The proposed design changes include a longer construction period, more heavy vehicle trips, a higher number of maintenance hatches, extra access requirements, and a larger infrastructure footprint.
Thames Water expects event to continue
However, Thames Water told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that it is not correct to state the parkrun would need to stop permanently. A spokesperson said: "Our expectation is that the event will be able to continue, although a temporary route diversion may be required during construction. We are engaging with Parkrun to explore and agree appropriate arrangements."
Parkrun itself told the LDRS that any changes or closures are subject to risk assessments and course condition requirements. Ali McArthur, global head of event delivery and volunteering at Parkrun, said: "The majority of parkrun events take place on public land, and we have robust safety and policy procedures in place to ensure people can walk, jog, run, or volunteer safely. We appreciate the land use granted to us by all the landowners we work with, and any course adjustments or closures happen subject to risk assessments and course condition requirements. We always work closely with landowners and event teams to try and keep communities connected and active wherever possible."
Project details and revised proposals
The overall project aims to secure London's drinking water supply during prolonged dry weather. It would take up to 75 million litres of water a day from the Thames above Teddington Weir, transfer it along a new pipeline to an existing underground tunnel, and then into the Lee Valley reservoirs. The water would be replaced in the Thames with "highly-treated" wastewater from Mogden Sewage Treatment Works via a new tunnel.
In the revised proposals, Thames Water changed the design of the intake and outfall structures near Beaufort Road and Burnell Avenue, including increasing the size of the nearby control building and the number of maintenance hatches. The firm also proposes to use a larger area to divert a power cable at a substation on Beaufort Road, increase the number and peak levels of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) servicing the Burnell Avenue worksite, while slashing HGV trips at the Tudor Drive worksite and removing all HGV trips from the Ham Playing Fields worksite. The construction period at Burnell Avenue would be extended, and construction traffic would be routed through Ewell Road in addition to other identified roads. The firm also scrapped plans for an intermediate shaft at Ham Playing Fields.
Council raises traffic, wildlife, and water quality concerns
Kingston Council said that while it recognises the importance of securing long-term water supplies during drought, it has major concerns about the revised proposals' impact on local residents, green spaces, and roads. The council said increased construction activity could cause major traffic impacts on Burnell Avenue, Beaufort Road, Dysart Avenue, and Dukes Avenue. It also raised concerns about greater disturbance to wildlife, including badgers, and about the final quality of the wastewater being pumped into the Thames, noting the river's chemical makeup would be changed.
The authority also warned that the proposals risked undermining the "perception and reality of safe recreational water use" at the River Thames' first official bathing spot nearby, which was designated in May. The council outlined concerns about Thames Water's consultation handling, saying it was notified late, the promotion was insufficient, the response window was short, and inclusive participation opportunities were lacking.
Thames Water's own consultation documents acknowledged that the proposed changes would have a greater impact on the area, including on recreation, health, open space, traffic, noise, air quality, and a conservation area.
Petition and company response
The scheme has drawn sustained backlash from local MPs, residents, and campaigners. A petition demanding its scrapping has gathered more than 34,200 signatures. A Thames Water spokesperson told the LDRS that the project would keep taps flowing for millions of Londoners during droughts, and that protecting the environment and recreational space is central to its development. The spokesperson said: "We would like to reassure river users that our proposed Teddington Direct River Abstraction project would not deteriorate water quality and would be required to meet strict environmental and water quality standards set by the Environment Agency. The new treated water outfall would also be located downstream of the bathing water site, and the recycled water would flow downstream over Teddington Weir into the tidal Thames, away from the designated bathing water site. We are continuing to work on the best ways to manage potential construction impacts, and will set out our approach in the construction traffic management plan published as part of our development consent order (DCO) application. We have run several rounds of public statutory and supplementary consultation, and hold regular meetings with relevant local authorities to keep them updated. Since our statutory consultation last year, we have been considering all the feedback received, engaging with stakeholders, and developing our design with information from surveys and technical assessments."
Thames Water said it will continue to engage with locals as it prepares to apply to the Government next year for a development consent order to build the project.
