New video shows construction and testing of the London 2012 Aquatics Centre

New video footage from the London 2012 Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) shows construction and testing of the Zaha Hadid-designed Aquatics Centre dive pool and two 50 m swimming pools.

The three concrete pools are being tested with over 10 million litres of water before being sealed and lined with 180000 tiles. Testing of the dive pool and training pool is complete and the competition pool starts being filled this week.

Work is also underway lining the unique 160 m-long wave-shaped steel roof, which weighs over 3000 tonnes and rests on just three concrete supports. In the coming weeks cladding will start on the curving timber ceiling and work is continuing on the huge 250 m and 45m wide land bridge that forms the main walking access into the Olympic Park and the roof of the training pool.

The Aquatics Centre is on track to be complete in summer 2011 ready for test events and after the Games will provide two 50 m swimming pools with moveable floors and separation booms, a diving pool and dry diving area for the full range of community and elite use.

Commenting on progress to date, ODA chief executive David Higgins said, "The Aquatics Centre is on track for completion in mid-2011 and the sweeping roof that will form the 'Gateway to the Games' is now a fixture in the skyline alongside the Olympic Stadium.

"Testing the pools is major milestone for the construction of the Aquatics Centre which in legacy will provide a range of swimming and diving facilities and become a new London landmark.

"The Olympic Park 'big build' is on track and within budget as we move through our toughest year, with the workforce and activity on site reaching its peak"

Aquatics Centre factfile

• The Zaha Hadid designed Aquatics Centre is located in the south of the Olympic Park and will be the main 'Gateway into the Games', hosting swimming, diving, synchronised swimming, water polo finals and the swimming discipline of the Modern Pentathlon
• The Aquatics Centre will have a capacity of 17500 during the Games, reducing to a maximum of 2500 in legacy, with the ability to add 1000 for major events, and provide two 50 m swimming pools, a diving pool and dry diving area
• Eleven industrial buildings have been demolished on the 55000 m2 site.
• Around 160000 tonnes of soil have been dug out of what was one of the more challenging and complex areas of the Olympic Park, contaminated with pollutants including petrol, oil, tar, solvents and heavy metals such as arsenic and lead
• Four skeletons were discovered and removed from a prehistoric settlement discovered on the site of the Aquatic Centre.
• 140000 tonnes of clean soil has been brought from other areas of the Olympic Park to prepare for construction to start.
• Balfour Beatty is constructing the Aquatics Centre and huge land-bridge that forms the roof of the training pool and the main pedestrian access to the Olympic Park. Construction work will be complete in 2011 for test events ahead of the Games.
• The river that runs alongside the venue has been widened by 8 m by building 550 m of new river walls.
• The sweeping roof, which is 160 m long and 80 m at its widest point, is an innovative steel structure weighing over 3000 tonnes with a striking and robust aluminium covering, half of which is recycled, resting on three supports.
• Construction started on the foundations in July 2008. A 3000 tonne concrete 'bridge' has been built spanning and protecting the tunnels, which have been dug to run powerlines beneath the site. The 18.5 m tall northwest roof support has been built on top of this base.
• Work is well underway on the 250 m-long, 45 m-wide land bridge that forms the main 'Gateway to the Games' from the Stratford City development, spanning the Aquatics Centre and forming the roof of the training pool.
• Around 1000 m m3 of concrete has been poured to create five sets of bridge supports, steel beams have been lifted into place to form the first section of the bridge spanning railway lines and roadways.
  Work is now currently underway on the section of bridge that will form the training pool roof. The land bridge is on track to be complete before summer 2010. Fourteen steel beams, up to 60 m long and weighing 75 tonnes each have been produced in Scunthorpe, fabricated in Bolton and lifted into place