Thames Water Drayton Sewage Treatment Works

Through the Water Industry National Environment Programme, Thames Water is upgrading Drayton Sewage Treatment Works to increase capacity and support a healthier local environment.

Drayton Sewage Treatment Works (STW) needed significant improvements to keep pace with rising flows and harsher weather and we were appointed as senior project manager.

Finding steady ground on a busy operational site

Thames Water's upgrade had clear goals: increase Flow to Full Treatment and build better storm resilience. We were appointed as senior project manager to bring shape to a complex brief. Early work focused on wayleave and land agreements, along with the detailed planning needed for a site that never stops operating. The improvements reach across the full footprint of the works, so getting the foundations right mattered.

Revised technical briefs arrived mid-programme and required a thoughtful reset. We worked with hydraulic specialists, designers and contractors to understand what the site could handle and how best to phase the works. Those conversations shaped programme and cost plans that the full team could support. It was practical problem solving, one step at a time, to keep a complicated upgrade moving.

Coordinating power, people and live operations

As design developed, Drayton’s busy operational environment set the rhythm. Every improvement touched an active system, so coordination had to be precise. We created regular sessions that brought engineering, construction and operations together. These meetings kept decisions clear and reduced the chance of clashes on site.

Power infrastructure became a major focus. The existing setup limited what the new equipment could deliver. We helped explore options and brought in specialists to assess a new Motor Control Centre. This upgrade lifts safety standards and gives the site a more dependable platform for future growth.

Alongside this, we managed high-risk interfaces and shaped plans that fit naturally around the day-to-day operation. It meant the site could keep serving the community while the improvements took shape around it.

A treatment works prepared for tomorrow

When complete, the upgraded site will handle higher flows with ease and offer stronger protection during storms. These improvements support Thames Water’s long-term objectives and help safeguard local waterways.

Our role has been to guide the programme through shifting requirements, tight space and the realities of a live operational site. The outcome will be a treatment works ready for future demand – resilient, safer and more reliable for the communities it serves.

Building long-term wastewater resilience

This project strengthens Drayton for the years ahead. It reduces environmental impact, improves day-to-day operation and creates space for future regulatory change. A solid, modern treatment system built for the long term