SOLAR has written jointly to the Leaders and key councillors of Richmond and Kingston Councils, urging them to issue a formal joint statement challenging Thames Water’s proposed Teddington Direct River Abstraction (TDRA) scheme.
In the letter, SOLAR argues that newly identified financial evidence calls into question Thames Water’s long-standing claim that TDRA represents a low-cost, “best value” solution for future water supply. The campaign contends that when the scheme is assessed using realistic operational assumptions, it becomes one of the most expensive large-scale water schemes in the UK.
The letter also highlights ongoing concerns about environmental impacts, water quality, construction disruption, consultation processes, operational resilience, and the cumulative impact of other developments along the Thames. SOLAR believes that credible and significantly cheaper alternatives are available.
The campaign is asking both councils to work together to demand greater transparency from Thames Water, including publication of the methodology behind its “Best Value” assessment and a review of the assumptions used to justify the scheme.
SOLAR remains committed to ensuring residents are fully informed and that all options are properly scrutinised before decisions are made that could affect the River Thames and local communities for generations to come.