UK Commissions First Desalination Plant

The UK has commissioned its first desalination plant, the Thames Gateway Water Treatment Works in Beckton, East London, to meet future water needs in the UK’s capital.

The £270m ($395m) Thames Gateway Water Treatments Works has the capacity to process a mixture of seawater and river water from the River Thames into high quality drinking water and supply it to 1 million Londoners when required.

Powered by renewable energy, the desalination plant can produce 50Mld (million litres a day) when the plant is turned on.

The desalination plant uses a four-stage reverse osmosis system, yielding a far more efficient 85% of water.

The plant has been installed as a backup water supply for London in case of drought.