Inquiry into raw sewage in Thames

Water bosses will today be asked to justify the decision to pump five million tonnes of raw sewage and waste water into the Thames.

Executives from Thames Water will be questioned on the threat to public health and damage to wildlife caused by last month's storms.

Two flash-floods in August saw a month's rain fall in a day. This flooded the capital's Victorian sewerage system, making it impossible for raw sewage to reach two treatment plants in east London - forcing the waste and debris into the river, killing thousands of fish.

It has since emerged that 20 million tonnes has been pumped into the Thames on other occasions, with moderate rainfall overwhelming the system 60 times a year.

Now the London Assembly is demanding answers from Thames Water, which wants to raise household bills by 16 per cent by 2010 to help improve its infrastructure. The firm proposes building a ?1billion 20-mile tunnel under the river to deal with storms, but its plans have been rejected by industry regulator Ofwat.

Labour's Joanne McCartney, who chairs the Assembly's health and public services committee, said: "People don't want sewage in the streets and their homes but surely there must be something done to stop it going into our river."

The Health Protection Agency will this autumn launch the first survey of whether recreational exposure to river water is a health risk.