Yep, basically. Water use is one of those hidden effects of a lot of industrial processes, whether it's used as a coolant or a solvant for processes it often ta

Yep, basically. Water use is one of those hidden effects of a lot of industrial processes, whether it's used as a coolant or a solvant for processes it often takes a ridiculous amount to produce many goods. In the past the water would be pumped up from boreholes (London sits on an artesian basin), and was then discharged into the Thames (directly or through the waste water system). This happens a lot less now, because of both a reduction in the amount of industry and improvements in efficiency, so the water table has risen, which means that TfL have to pump out a lot more water than they had to decades ago.