‘Forever chemicals’ surge during pilot of Thames Water plan to combat drought

The utility company Thames Water has proposed a controversial multimillion-pound water recycling scheme that involves pumping treated sewage into the River Thames during droughts to replace up to 75 million litres of water a day. However, trials of the system revealed alarmingly high levels of a toxic "forever chemical" known as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), breaching legal limits by up to 13 times.

PFOS is a suspected carcinogen and does not break down in the environment, posing significant threats to both the river ecosystem and human health.

The data from the pilots contradicts Thames Water's public statements that their water recycling project will not harm the riverine environment. Technical notes from the company's files indicated that the recycling system rapidly increased PFOS levels, requiring frequent regeneration and replacement of carbon filters, resulting in significant additional operational expenses.

The company's spokesperson defended the project, stating that it would not operate without securing an environmental permit from the Environment Agency, and emphasized that the pilot data is not indicative of the actual conditions when the project is fully functional. Despite opposition from local councils, MPs, and environmental groups, the project can still be pushed through as a strategic infrastructure project without local consent.