Hammersmith & Fulham Council has told Thames Water that its proposed sites  for the works needed to build the Counters Creek storm relief sewer are “simply unacceptable”.

Councillors backed calls at a council meeting this week for Thames Water and the government to “listen to residents' objections about many of the potential sites for the Counters Creek storm relief sewer and find better sites that do not damage neighbourhoods and blight homes”.

The councillors reaffirmed their commitment to fight the proposals if Thames Water and the government “do not work with the council and borough residents to find better ways to deal with the risk of flooding in homes across the borough”.

Council Leader, Cllr Stephen Cowan, recently called Thames Water to the town hall to inform the company that many of the sites chosen are “simply unacceptable and that the council will use every means possible to oppose them if they didn’t think again.”

He said: “We made it very clear that we will fight them all the way. The positive news is that they have agreed to work with us, albeit at the eleventh hour, to see if they can find better sites that would minimise the impact on local residents and businesses.”

Thames Water sent out a consultation document to local residents in May which identified 12 potential sites for the works needed to build the Counters Creek storm relief sewer, in order to reduce the risk of flooding in homes across the borough. Residents who have experienced sewage flushing into their basements in previous years are understandably keen for the works to be done.

However, finding suitable sites where existing sewers can be connected to the new storm relief sewer is proving difficult.

Thames Water had originally proposed five sites, with the Kensington Olympia car park as the main tunneling site. Following initial consultation, the company is now planning to use Cremorne Wharf in Chelsea as the main tunnel drive site and has also put forward proposals for further alternative sites.

Thames Water said:

“We will be working intensively with the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham to ensure that we have investigated all potential sites before we select the preferred route and sites which will go forward to our next stage of consultation.”

Last week the water company separately came in for criticism by Private Eye Magazine over the £4.2 billion Tideway Tunnel project. The satirical news and current affairs publication described Thames Water as “tightening its grip on the industry”, commenting that “the permeable membrane between government, Thames Water, the so-called independent regulators and even the environmental groups that might be expected to query the tunnel becomes ever thinner.”

The article has flagged up a series of senior-level appointments highlighting links with Government departments. Private Eye also took a side-swipe at consultancy firm PwC’s role as Ofwat’s delivery partner on the 2014 Price Review and as auditor to a number of the water companies.