Prompt Cast
The Evolution of London's Sewer System: From the Great Stink to the Super Sewer
TLDR London's 19th century sewage problem, highlighted by the Great Stink of 1858, led to the implementation of Joseph Bazalgette's revolutionary sewer system. While successful at preventing cholera outbreaks, the system is now in need of an update due to population growth and climate change, prompting the construction of the Tideway Tunnel Scheme.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
London experienced a significant increase in population and industry during the 19th century, becoming the most densely populated city on the planet with around 3 million people living there by the 1850s.
04:13
London in the 19th century had a significant sewage problem, with a growing population and inadequate sanitation systems leading to overflowing cesspools and a disgustingly polluted Thames River.
08:33
By the 19th century, the Thames River had become a dangerously disgusting vat of water due to the accumulation of waste, as evidenced by the observations of scientist Michael Faraday in 1855, and the presence of waterborne illnesses like cholera.
12:51
John Snow discovered that cholera was not transmitted through the smell of things, but rather through contaminated water, as he traced an outbreak back to a public well that had been contaminated by an abandoned cesspool.
17:27
The Great Stink in London during the summer of 1858, caused by a combination of heat and the contamination of the Thames River, led to politicians and the wealthy being directly affected and ultimately prompted Parliament to pass a bill to address the issue.
21:48
Joseph Bazalgette, a chief engineer, was hired by Parliament to implement his revolutionary plan to build a modernized sewer system in London, which is still the basis for the city's Metropolitan Sewer System today.
26:06
The main part of Joseph Bazalgette's plan was to build a subterranean sewer system in London, including underground tunnels that were big enough to run a train through, and pumping stations to remove sewage from low-lying areas, as well as reclaiming land from the Thames to create more space and increase the flow of the river through the city.
30:29
Joseph Bazalgette's sewer system in London successfully prevented cholera outbreaks and accommodated a population growth of 50%, but now the system is regularly discharging raw sewage and stormwater due to the increasing population and climate change, leading to the need for an update.
34:36
The Tideway Tunnel Scheme, also known as the Super Sewer, aims to reduce the number of sewage overflows into the Thames from around 50 times a year to no more than four every year by 2023.
Categories:
Society & Culture
