Aecom to design central section for £4.2bn Thames Tideway Tunnel project

Aecom has been selected as the lead design consultant for the central section of the £4.2bn Thames Tideway Tunnel project in London, UK.

Tideway, which is the operator for the project, had selected a joint venture by Ferrovial Agroman UK and Laing O’Rourke Construction for the central section development, which in turn had selected Aecom for the project.

The entire project will involve construction of a 25km long sewer tunnel, which will be developed in three sections, and is expected to have a capacity for 39 million tonnes of untreated sewage that overflows into the Thames river in a typical year.

Central section of the tunnel will extend for around 12km from Carnwath Road in Fulham to Chambers Wharf in Bermondsey. Under the terms of the deal, Aecom will be responsible for this section which is the largest among the three.

Designs for the section will need to take varying ground conditions into account including London Clay, Lambeth Group, Thanet Sands and Chalk.

The tunnel section will be constructed under the existing underground infrastructure of the UK capital and will be near to the tube lines and utilities. It will also require to minimise disruptions to the busy and compact streets above.

Ferrovial Agroman-Laing O’Rourke JV project director Peter Main said: "The central section of Tideway is a major feat of engineering and AECOM brings valuable expertise in tunnelling design services that will enhance and strengthen our delivery team."

The firms are presently co-ordinating to come up with the designs for the central section.

Aecom Europe head of tunnels Steve Woodrow said: "Tideway is one of the UK’s most important new infrastructure projects, which will dramatically improve the water quality of the River Thames and give London a wastewater system it can rely on."

Thames Water intends to start construction works for the project in 2016 and complete it by seven years.

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Image: Thames Tideway Tunnel is intended to stop untreated sewage discharges into the River Thames. Photo: courtesy of Consumer Council for Water.