Growing London Faces Water Shortages and Overflowing Sewage

  • London Assembly report says population could top 13 million
  • CBI calls for 50,000 new homes a year, new airport runway

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 23: The River Thames floods the riverside footpath at Strand-on-the-Green on February 23, 2016 in London, England. Today's high tide of 5.4 metres is predicted to flood areas along The River Thames.

Photographer: Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images
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London’s growing population means the British capital is facing possible water shortages and a risk of flooding from overflowing sewage unless action is taken to ensure more sustainable development, the London Assembly’s Environment Committee warned.

With the city’s population increasing by 100,000 a year, London’s population could reach as much as 13.4 million by 2050, the panel said in a report published Wednesday. The assembly is the elected body that oversees the work of the mayor.