Anglian sets out alliance plan

Anglian Water has unveiled the next step in its water transfer project with the announcement of an alliance of construction and engineering firms that will work on the £350 million development.

Costain, Farrans, Jacobs and Mott MacDonald Bentley will form the Strategic Pipeline Alliance to create and construct the 500km of piping and pumping equipment to move water from north to south to mitigate drought in the driest parts.

The pipeline will run from north Lincolnshire south to make the region more resilient to water shortages by securing water resources in the east of England.

As well as pumping and piping the project will include upgrading of infrastructure throughout the region as part of Anglian’s 25-year water resource management plan.

James Crompton director of the strategic pipeline alliance, said: “The programme will make it possible to reduce the amount of water taken from the environment, as well as strengthening resilience by reducing the number of homes and businesses which rely on a single water source.”

The east of England is one of the driest parts of the UK with a growing population that is prone to the effects of climate change.

Crompton added: “Starting this project is a significant part of our planned investment in the region over the next five years, which will begin to tackle those challenges and secure customer supplies well into the future.”

A competitive tendering process began last year to find the engineering and construction partners to form the alliance.

The company said it opted for an alliance approach based on previous experience that an integrated and collaborative way of working could be successful and powerful.

The transfer forms part of the company’s resource management plans for the area. In January Anglian announced the successful trial of a flow reversal scheme to move potable water across its region.