Thank you to the 33,795 people who signed the Change.org petition to stop the Teddington Direct River Abstraction (TDRA) scheme. That show of public support has been instrumental in getting us to where we are today. We now need to take the next step : 👉 The official UK Government petition is now live — …
the difference between the parliamentary and change.org petition Read More »
1st May 2026 is a critical milestone in the Save Our Lands and River (SOLAR) campaign as our parliamentary e-petition was been formally published. We now have an opportunity to demand national change and stop harmful, outdated sewage schemes like the Teddington Direct River Abstraction (TDRA) once and for all. We need your signature, and …
On 7 March 2026 Save Our Lands and River, sent a letter to Anna Burns, Area Director at the Thames Environment Agency. The letter addressed urgent concerns about the technical viability of the Teddington Direct River Abstraction (TDRA) scheme in light of the newly published PFAS UK Plan and its implications for water quality standards. …
In recent weeks, Emma Hardy MP, who is the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Water and Flooding, has made two significant national announcements, both of which expose serious contradictions at the heart of Thames Water’s Teddington Direct River Abstraction (TDRA) proposal. As SOLAR we have written to her to help set these out as …
Why Emma Hardy MP’s Latest Announcements Make Stopping TDRA More Urgent Than Ever Read More »
We were delighted to see that the Government has officially announced that a stretch of the River Thames at Ham and Kingston is being designated for Public Bathing Status. This is a historic milestone. If approved, this would become the first-ever official river bathing site in London. What This Means for Us Designation isn’t just …
Ham and Kingston Proposed for Official Bathing Status! Read More »
In the final weeks of 2025, as local communities awaited detailed feedback from Thames Water’s recent statutory consultation, the Save Our Lands and River (SOLAR) campaign shifted its focus to the highest levels of government. The campaign’s efforts are now centered on ensuring DEFRA are fully appraised of the risks and public opposition surrounding the …
SOLAR CHALLENGES THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS. Read More »
In the pursuit of our campaign aims, we submitted evidence to the HoL Environment and Climate Change Committee. Our written evidence has now been published on the House of Lords website. You can view it here: committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/153371/pdf/
On Friday 26th September, SOLAR supporters were out in force as Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey joined local MPs Munira Wilson and Sarah Olney (plus local councillors) for a river visit to show their opposition to the TDRA scheme. Sir Ed even got out on the water to chat with swimmers, kayakers, rowers, and …
Top Lib Dem MPs Say No to the “Thames Sewage Pump” Read More »
SOLAR is intensifying its fight against Thames Water’s proposed Teddington Direct River Abstraction (TDRA) scheme by writing to the newly appointed Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, The Rt Hon Emma Reynolds MP to recognise the “environmentally unsound, socially damaging, and counter to the principles of sustainable water management”. Read our …
SOLAR URGES New Environment Secretary Stop Thames Water’s ‘Sewage Pump’ Read More »
Before the summer break, Thames Water was actively running “Debate Mate with Thames Water” workshops in local schools, youth clubs, and universities, focusing on the controversial TDRA (Thames Direct River Abstraction which we call the Thames Sewage Pump). While positioning this outreach as an educational community initiative, the water company’s actions raised serious alarms about …
Thames Water’s Secret Classroom: What Did They Teach Our Kids? Read More »
