The Great Stink: How London’s Smell Sparked a New Sanitation System

This episode traces how the July 1858 disaster—London’s Thames overflowing with sewage and disease—forced Parliament and engineers into action. It examines Sir Joseph Bazalgette’s revolutionary sewer network, its technical challenges, and how it saved London’s public health. The story shows how a single crisis reshaped the city and set a precedent for modern urban infrastructure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices