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More than 20,000 tonnes of raw sewage gushed into the River Thames, killing hundreds of fish.
A major inquiry into how the spillage happened was underway today after Thames Water admitted it was responsible.
A massive clean up operation to remove the untreated sewage, including used condoms has been was launched.
Thousands of tonnes of sewage gushed into the river after sudden heavy rain on Friday left the sewer system unable to cope.
The sudden discharge of untreated sewage polluted a stretch of the river around Kew, Brentford and Isleworth and left hundreds of dead fish floating on the surface
Yesterday a spokesman for the Environment Agency said staff were at the scene monitoring oxygen levels in the water, which is crucial to fish survival.
A special oxygenating boat was being used to pump the life-giving gas into the water to to try to save other fish which had so fare survived.
The sewage flooded out into the river which is popular with canoeists and anglers, from the combined sewer at the Mogden Sewage Treatment Works in Isleworth.
Thames Water's reoxygenation vessel Vitality has been on the site since Friday evening and the company is also using its Hydrogen Peroxide station at Barnes in an attempt to boost oxygen levels.
“This is a vast improvement from what the teams were seeing yesterday,” said a spokesman for the Enviroment Agency.
“The crews have remained on the scene throughout the night and are continuing to monitor the situation.
“Obviously with more rain said to be on the way we will be watching carefully how things develop.”
Hundreds of dead fish were pulled from the water near the world-famous Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.
The Environment Agency spokesman said that additional water was also being released into the river at Teddington Lock, would improve the freshwater quality further downstream.
Tanya Houston, an Environment Agency fisheries officer, said: “This was a very serious incident which has caused the death of hundreds of fish.
“Unfortunately we may never know the exact number of fish that have died.
“We have been working hard to monitor the situation and are taking action with the help of Thames Water.
“We will continue to do this as the incident develops.”
On the river in Brentford, West London, the untreated sewage was causing a stinking problem for angry local residents.
Alexander Roux, who is converting a boat on the Thames, said: “It is jaw-droppingly disgraceful and I have never seen anything on this scale before, not even in the Third World. It is just disgusting.
“There is faeces, condoms and sanitary products being pumped into the water yards from where children are playing.”
The 56-year-old who hopes to one day live on his boat said he now may be forced to re-think his plans.
“What I found was repulsive,” he said. “It is utterly disgusting that this can happen in this day and age.”
The River Thames, which was once so polluted that it was declared biologically dead in 1957, is now accepted to be cleaner than at any point in the past 200 years.
Reader views (7)
Very difficult situation - the system struggles to keep up with the rise in population. The goahead is given for massive housing developments then the water company told to deal with it. Sewers built in the past to take ground water to the same Sewage Treatment works as toilet and waste water just fill up the massive works emergency tanks very quickly and then sewage has to be released into the river. Not a major problem if the river is swollen with flood water but a prblem in summer flash flooding situations when the river levels haven't yet swollen. The new storage tunnel that is going to be built deep under the Thames will alleviate this problem but it will take a few years to build - the biggest tunnel project in recent times. As for the condoms, tampax , nappies and sanitary towels - Who are the idiots who flush them down the toilets - do they think they magically disappear - wrap them in paper and put them in the garbage bin !!
- John, Hampton Middlx, 06/07/2009 15:35
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Your complementary 'cut out and keep' rant:
Bloomin Gordon Brown and his [insert name of public body here]. Makes you seethe dunnit? This is what happens when you start handing over power to bloomin' Brussels and all them foreigners. We never had this back in [insert name of romanticised political figure from the past - Enoch probably]. I tell you what, they should make that [insert name of favourite Top Gear presenter here] Prime Minister. He'd soon sort this lot out with their bloomin' health and safety nanny state. And to think, I'm paying this lot from my hard earned taxes. It's a bloomin' disgrace. As soon as I can I'm packing up and heading for [http://insert name of foreign country with Sky TV, an inexplicable lack of social problems and no tax.|http://insert name of foreign country with Sky TV, an inexplicable lack of social problems and no tax.]
- Greg Chivers, London UK, 06/07/2009 15:30
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I wonder who will foot the bill for this.
Probably they'll pass it on to us as usual.
- Malc, London,England, 06/07/2009 13:13
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Yes David, I seem to recall this happening for the last few years on the trot also. Its not. Not at all. I hope they are fined a huge amount of money..... oh no..... they'll just pass the fines on to us by putting their prices up. You can't win.
- Jc, London, 06/07/2009 12:44
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This seems to happen every year at the same locations. Thames water need to get their act together.
- David, London, 06/07/2009 10:49
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It must have come from the house of Parliment, following the expense scandal as many MP's found out to their shock and horror, their jobs were on the line and that they don't have a job for life anymore.
- Frank, Copenhagen, Denmark, 06/07/2009 09:40
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Another Thames Water cock up, it seems like a yearly occurrence, roll on OFWAT fining them a pittance and slapping them mildly on the wrist.
- Bob, Cheam, 06/07/2009 09:06
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