Old Ford Water Treatment Facility 

Pioneering water reuse at the Olympic fringe

A sustainable treatment facility that transforms wastewater into a valuable resource while blending seamlessly into its woodland setting.

Located on the edge of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the Old Ford Water Treatment Facility is the first plant in the UK to treat wastewater for non-potable reuse on this scale. Developed by Thames Water and designed by LBY Architects, the facility recycles wastewater from the Northern Outfall Sewer to produce clean water for irrigation, toilet flushing, and cooling systems within the Olympic Park and surrounding developments.

A closeup exterior view of Water Treatment Facility modern building with wooden siding, black window covers, and surrounded by green trees.

A Model of Urban Sustainability

This landmark scheme plays a crucial role in reducing potable water use in dense urban environments. Key features include:

  • State-of-the-art membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology

  • Ultraviolet and chlorination disinfection systems

  • Pumping stations and distribution infrastructure integrated on site

  • Public realm improvements and secure landscaping

The design accommodates complex plant requirements while also engaging with its prominent canal-side location.

Architecture with Environmental Intent

The building form responds to its operational needs and industrial context. Clad in timber with Corten steel metal panels, the architecture expresses function without mimicry. The base walls are stone-filled gabion baskets.

  • Simple massing and natural materials minimises visual impact in a woodland context

  • Durable, low-maintenance finishes reduce lifecycle costs

  • A green, biodiverse roof

  • Environmental graphics and interpretive panels inform the public of the building’s purpose

Materials were carefully chosen to reduce environmental impact and for their sensitivity to the setting, including the stone filled gabions that provide a robust finish that is not only highly resistant to flood damage, but that also provides a habitat for insects.

The project became a key part of the sustainability narrative for the London 2012 Games legacy and continues to operate as a working example of circular infrastructure.

External view of Water Treatment Facility modern buildings with wooden and rust-coloured metal exteriors, surrounded by greenery under a cloudy sky with tree branches to give depth of field in the foreground.
Side elevation view of the Water Treatment Facility building with wooden and concrete exterior, metal railings.
Internal workings of the Water Treatment Facility featuring Industrial machinery and control panels inside a building with a metal roof and support beams.
A modern building with a wooden exterior, featuring a horizontal window and an angled black vent, with a lush green treeline and blue sky in the background.

Turning Waste into Resource

In 2014, the London Legacy Development Corporation reported that the Old Ford water recycling plant recycled:

41,000 m3 for water to irrigate the Parklands

4,200 m3 were recycled at the Copper box – the 7,000 seats sport venue – representing 19% of the site water consumption.

The plant maintained a 40% water reduction in potable water use.

The scheme is estimated to provide a 58% reduction in the use of tap water at the park.

Modern two-story house with a wooden upper section and a textured concrete lower section, surrounded by green grass and trees.
A complete view of all Old Ford Water Treatment Facility with modern buildings with wooden and concrete exterior, multiple levels and rounded ends, with grassy area in foreground and cloudy sky overhead.

Quote…

“LBY’s secluded water recycling plant in the Olympic Park sets the standard for similar utilities”

Amanda Birch, Architects Journal 2012

The details

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Client: Thames Water
Location: Stratford, East London
Completion: 2012
Building Type: Water Treatment Facility
Contractor: Black and Veatch
Value: £1m

Photographs: Morley von Sternberg

APPROACH & INFLUENCE

Project Type: Infrastructure and sustainability facility

Design Approach: Functional modernism, urban context responsiveness, environmental storytelling

PRESS COVERAGE & ARTICLES

Architects Journal 2012

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