Anglian Water’s @one Alliance is due to begin upgrades in Wiggenhall St Germans which will see the replacement of 3 kilometres of water pipes to ensure that water supplies are safe and reliable for decades to come.  

The water company sends nearly a billion of litres of clean and healthy drinking water to its customers each and every day, and in order to achieve this, the infrastructure needs maintenance and investment to ensure the taps can keep running over the next few decades. 

When pipes get old, they’re more likely to burst or leak – meaning customers could experience low pressures or interruptions to their water supplies. With the added pressure of a changing climate, more ageing water mains are at risk of failing under extreme weather conditions. 

The scheme – totalling to £590,000 – is expected to be completed this winter and will be installed using a special technique called directional drilling which is designed to prevent digging up large areas.

Once the pipes are installed, they will need to be connected to the existing water network. To complete this, there may be some interruptions to customers' supplies for a short period.

Ashton Carradine, Customer Experience Specialist for the project, said: “We operate in the driest region of the country, but the East of England is also one of the fastest growing. As part of our Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP), this project will help make sure we can keep taps running and toilets flushing for residents in and around Wiggenhall St Germans for years to come.

“To do this work safely, we need to work in and around local roads, as going through fields and verges would be too difficult because of tree roots, bushes, ditches and underground services like gas pipes and electricity cables. The roads are too narrow to work safely and still allow traffic to pass, so we’ll need to close them fully while we install the pipe. But we’ll have two teams on site working together to get the work done as quick as we can. We’d like to thank everyone for their patience while we carry out this essential work.”

The WRMP, published every five years, outlines how Anglian Water manages current and future water needs across the region. Without such proactive planning and investment, there will simply not be enough water to supply customers in the East of England. 

This year’s work follows the UK’s driest summer since 1976. Although summer is winding down, it will still take a long time for water resources to recover, so Anglian Water is encouraging customers to be water-wise ahead of the warmer months, to keep supplies readily available for the region. 

From taking shorter showers to putting a full load in your washing machine (saving up to 10 litres of water) little steps can really make a difference. For more ideas, visit our page of water-saving tips.

This work is being completed by Anglian Water’s Integrated Maintenance, Repair and Developer Services (IMRDS) which tackles a wide range of challenges across our network. From using smart meters to monitor water usage to replacing old pipes and connecting new homes and developments, the IMRDS Alliance supports growth across the region and protects water resources for future generations. You can find out more information here.

More information about the work in Wiggenhall St Germans can be found here.