The Prince of Wales paid a special visit to Stratford today to mark the 150 year anniversary of the London Sewer Network.
The Prince met with Thames Water apprentices as he descended 75 metres below into the newly built Lee Tunnel at the Abbey Mills site in Abbey Lane.
Apprentices Liam Kelleher, 19, and Tony Brown, 23, joined the Prince inside the imposing seven metre-wide Lee Tunnel, which runs seven kilometres from Abbey Mills to Beckton sewage works.
He also toured the historic Abbey Mills Pumping Station before unveiling a plaque at a special reception in honour of his visit.
Thames Water chief executive Martin Baggs said: “We are all extremely proud and honoured The Prince of Wales joined us today for this special occasion.
“Abbey Mills was such a fitting place to hold the celebration. It formed the central feature of Bazalgette’s Victorian sewerage system, but the site is also at the core of our current developments.
“The Lee Tunnel has just been completed at Abbey Mills and this, along with the extensions and improvements at the five sewage works which discharge into the tidal river and the Thames Tideway Tunnel, due to begin construction next year, will greatly improve London’s great river for wildlife and people alike.”
Today’s Royal reception also celebrated the completion of tunnelling work on the £635 million Lee Tunnel.
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