Tideway

Name

Tideway

Legal name

Bazalgette Tunnel Limited

Website

https://tideway.london

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Utility Infrastructure Services: Tideway operates as a critical utility infrastructure provider. The project was delivered as a regulated utility asset, likely funded through Thames Water customer charges and government infrastructure funding. The super sewer is now fully operational protecting the River Thames from sewage pollution.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Tideway built and operates the Thames Tideway Tunnel, a 25km 'super sewer' running beneath the River Thames from West to East London. The tunnel intercepts combined sewer overflows (CSOs) during rainfall events and conveys sewage to treatment facilities, preventing pollution of the tidal Thames. The system comprises the main tunnel, connection tunnels, pumping stations, interception chambers, drop shafts, and mechanical/electrical equipment managed via hi-tech computer monitoring. The asset became fully operational in February 2025 and is delivered as a regulated UK utility infrastructure asset.

Product overview

Tideway is delivering the Thames Tideway Tunnel, London's 'super sewer' infrastructure project. The core product is a 25km tunnel system running beneath the Thames, designed to intercept combined sewer overflows and protect the river from sewage pollution. The system is complemented by new public open spaces created at construction sites along the river, featuring accessibility improvements, biodiversity enhancements, and a program of permanent public art commissions. Tideway also provides a 24-hour helpdesk service with multilingual support. The infrastructure became fully operational in February 2025, and the system has captured over 20 million tonnes of sewage since August 2024.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Thames Tideway Tunnel A 25km underground tunnel running beneath the River Thames from West to East London, designed to intercept combined sewer overflows (CSOs) during heavy rainfall and convey sewage to treatment facilities, preventing an estimated 95% of sewage discharges into the tidal Thames. Delivered as a regulated utility asset.
• Public Open Spaces New riverside public spaces created across 11 Tideway sites (Bazalgette Embankment, Carnwath Road Riverside, Chelsea Quay, Deptford Church Street, Effra Quay & Isle of Effra, Falconbrook Pumping Station, Heathwall Quay, King Edward Memorial Park, King George's Park, Putney Embankment, Tyburn Quay) offering public access to the Thames with seating, accessibility features, and ecological enhancements.
• Art on the Tideway A program of permanent public art commissions installed across Tideway sites, featuring site-specific works by 21+ artists including Claire Barclay, Sarah Staton, Richard Wentworth, Florian Roithmayr, and Hew Locke, responding to heritage narratives through sculptures, poems, installations, and plaques.
• 24-Hour Helpdesk Service A 24-hour telephone helpdesk at 08000 30 80 80 providing assistance to London residents, site neighbours, and stakeholders, with multilingual language interpretation services available.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20 million+ tonnes of sewage diverted from the River Thames since August 2024
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lewisham CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Lewisham Council on the Deptford Church Street site, aligning Tideway's public realm designs with the council's wider masterplan proposals for the area. The community steering group included council representatives.
• Thames Estuary PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTideway shares ecological data with the Thames Estuary Partnership's 'Estuary Edges' initiative to improve guidance for biodiversity improvements along the River Thames. Data from intertidal terracing at Effra Quay will contribute to this initiative.
• National Maritime MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMuseum consulted during research process for King Edward Memorial Park art commission 'Cargoes' by Hew Locke. Provided historical context for mercantile and dock communities.
• Museum of LondonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsulted during community engagement research for King Edward Memorial Park art commission, providing institutional perspective on maritime heritage.
• The Company of Watermen and Lightermen of the River ThamesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThis organization granted permission to use elements of the waterman's badge in the 'Cargoes' bronze boat artwork by Hew Locke at King Edward Memorial Park.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Costain Group: Costain was one of the main construction contractors on the Thames Tideway Tunnel programme and is a UK-listed civil engineering firm specialising in water infrastructure, wastewater, and tunnelling. Comparable as a participant in building the same Thames Tideway asset, though operating from a contractor (rather than utility/SPV) perspective.

Regional players

• Sydney Water: Sydney Water operates wastewater networks including major deep-water outfall tunnels (e.g., the Sydney Harbour outfall sewers) and is undertaking significant CSO/stormwater improvement programmes. Comparable as a regulated wastewater utility operator executing large-diameter tunnel infrastructure, though operating in Australia rather than the UK.
• Melbourne Water: Melbourne Water manages the greater Melbourne region's waterway and wastewater assets, including the Western Treatment Plant and integrated sewer networks with CSO controls. Comparable as a regulated utility operator addressing urban waterway pollution, though it spans broader water-management scope rather than a dedicated CSO tunnel.

Direct peers

• Boston Water and Sewer Commission (Deer Island): Boston Water and Sewer Commission, working with MWRA, manages the combined sewer overflow control programme and Deer Island Treatment Plant — among the earliest US urban deep-tunnel CSO systems. Comparable to Tideway in mission (intercepting CSOs around a major harbour/river) and in operating model as a regulated urban wastewater authority.
• DC Water (DC Clean Rivers Project): DC Water operates the DC Clean Rivers Project, a large-diameter deep tunnel system (Anacostia and Potomac tunnels) capturing combined sewer overflows in Washington, DC. This is the closest international analogue to the Thames Tideway Tunnel in terms of purpose (CSO control), structure (large conveyance tunnel), and regulated utility model.
• Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (TARP): MWRD operates the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (Deep Tunnel), a massive underground tunnel and reservoir network designed to capture combined sewer overflows and stormwater in the Chicago region. Conceptually identical to Tideway's super sewer — large-diameter conveyance for CSO control under a major urban waterway.

Broad incumbents

• Anglian Water: Anglian Water is a UK regulated water and wastewater utility operating large trunk-main and treatment assets in the East of England. Comparable as a peer regulated utility with similar regulatory mechanics, though it focuses on water resources and supply rather than Tideway's CSO-tunnel specialism.
• Severn Trent Water: Severn Trent is a UK regulated water and wastewater utility operating extensive sewer networks and large-diameter conveyance infrastructure in the Midlands. It is comparable as a peer regulated utility of similar scale and revenue mix, though it serves a different geography from Tideway's London focus.
• United Utilities: United Utilities is a UK listed regulated water and wastewater company serving the North West of England. Comparable as a peer regulated wastewater utility with similar Ofwat-driven economics and significant combined sewer overflow reduction commitments, though geographically distinct from Tideway.
• Thames Water Utilities: Thames Water is the incumbent wastewater and water utility for London and is Tideway's primary revenue counterparty (via customer charges that fund the tunnel). It is the closest comparable as both operate regulated London wastewater infrastructure and share the regulatory framework, though Thames Water runs the wider network while Tideway focuses on the CSO interception tunnel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tidewaylondon
• YouTubeyoutube.com/tidewaylondon
• Facebookfacebook.com/TidewayLondon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tideway-london
• Instagraminstagram.com/tidewaylondon

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tideway