Crossness Sewage Treatment Works

As originally conceived the works comprised reservoirs covering 2.6 hectares designed to retain six hours’ flow of sewage.

[5] Work began in the early 1960s to install a modern treatment plant capable of treating 450,000 cubic metres per day of sewage.

[7] In 2010–14 the Crossness works were upgraded at a cost of £220 million, increasing capacity by 44% to reduce storm sewage flowing into the Thames during heavy rainfall.

The hydrolysis plant burns combustible sludge flakes created after waste water treatment to 160 °C, producing 50 per cent more biogas than anaerobic digestion process.

It includes anoxic zone mixers, a fine bubble diffused aeration system and five centrifugal blowers giving an air flow of up to 21,000 cubic metres per hour.

[8] The original sewage pumping station on the site of the treatment plant, constructed between 1859 and 1865 and featuring spectacular Victorian architecture, has been restored and is now open as a museum.