Infrastructure in London

Overview of the infrastructure in London, England
London's utility infrastructure

The utility infrastructure of London, England comprises a range of services and facilities that support and enable the functioning of London as a world city. Infrastructure includes facilities associated with products and materials that are consumed such as electricity, gas, water, heating and liquid fuels; materials that are produced such as sewage and solid waste; and facilities that enable communication and connectivity – telecommunications. The historical background of the infrastructure provides the context of how these facilities are structured and currently operate.

Water usage in London is currently on average about 2.0 Gigalitres per day (2.0 million cubic metres per day). This is supported by infrastructure such as the Thames Water Ring Main (initially built 1988–93 plus extensions) which transfers potable water from six water treatment works and 11 pumping stations for distribution within London. Thames Water currently supplies 76 percent of the population of Greater London, the remainder supplied by Affinity Water, Essex and Suffolk Water, and Sutton and East Surrey Water. Sewage sludge was dumped at sea until the practice was banned in 1998, sludge is now treated at the sewage works.

The first major district heating scheme in London was commissioned by Westminster City Council in 1951 and used heat from Battersea power station to heat 3,200 homes in Pimlico. This system is still operational and uses gas fired engines and gas fired boilers to supply electricity and heat.