London Super Sewer tunnel gets temporary floral makeover

Increasing industrialisation, climate change, and the emanating pollution that has harmed human habitats naturally and threatened other species call for numerous initiatives to be implemented to preserve the endangered environment in an effort to mitigate its negative effects.

In one such initiative, a British company named Tideaway converted the Thames Tideway Tunnel, also known as "London's Super Sewer," into the Loo Garden, 50 metres beneath the streets of the British capital.

It has been transformed into a colourful garden.

The BBC reports that due to the lack of light and the difficulty of watering, artificial plants were rented, and trash from the Thames was reused as plants.

The purpose of the Loo Garden is to portray the advantageous environmental effects that it will have once it is operational.

After significant rainfall, London's Victorian-era sewers have served as a conduit for raw sewage to enter the River Thames.

"The new sewer aims to prevent 95% of sewage spills and is due to be fully operational in 2025, after some additional construction and testing works," according to Tideway.

Tideway said: "The ecological benefits will be significant for the hundreds of species of fish, birds, mammals, and riverside flora that call the Thames home."

The tunnel will be closed after three weeks; until then, the garden will be in its place, as the company is planning to launch testing next year.

"Loo Gardens promises an awe-inspiring spectacle, offering a truly memorable and immersive experience that touches all the senses, including a bespoke soundscape and the aroma of grasses and wetlands," said Tideway.

"Tideway is also giving some lucky members of the public a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit the super sewer and head 50 metres under the city to explore the underground garden, and see the scale of this vital infrastructure up close."