Anglian Water completes scheme to protect unique Norfolk environment
Anglian Water engineers have completed work on a £9 million (€10.5 million) scheme that will maintain water supplies to 3,000 homes while protecting the precious environment of Catfield Fen.
Previously, the public water supply for Ludham, Norfolk, came from a borehole near the town.
However, to help protect the surrounding environment, which is a renowned Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and part of the Norfolk Broads, Anglian Water will stop taking water from this groundwater source now the work is complete.
Instead, the company will move water via a new 3km pipeline, which connects Ludham to Horstead Water Tower.
Ultimately, the water in the tower comes from one of the company’s main treatment centres at Heigham in Norwich. A new booster station and additional water storage facility at Horstead will pump water directly to customers’ taps.
Sarah Underhill, regional water resources manager for Anglian Water, said: “We face some unique challenges in the Anglian Water region. We operate in the driest part of the country, receiving only two thirds of UK average rainfall.
“This is also one of the fasting growing in terms of population and home to over 100 environmentally important areas that are internationally recognised. All of which puts significant pressure on the water resources we have available now and for the future.
“Between now and 2025 we have agreed to reduce the amount of water we take from the environment by 84 million litres a day. This pipeline project at Ludham is one of the first schemes to be implemented to fulfil this commitment.
“The new pipeline means we can turn off our groundwater abstraction at Ludham. This will protect the environment in a much loved, unique part of our region whilst keeping taps running for thousands of nearby homes for years to come.”
The Ludham scheme will be supported by the £34 million (€40 million) improvement work at the company’s water treatment works at Heigham in Norwich, which was completed in 2019.
It also sits alongside longer-term project as Anglian Water begins to install up to 500km of large-scale pipeline running from north Lincolnshire to the south and east of its region.
Previously, the public water supply for Ludham, Norfolk, came from a borehole near the town.
However, to help protect the surrounding environment, which is a renowned Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and part of the Norfolk Broads, Anglian Water will stop taking water from this groundwater source now the work is complete.
Instead, the company will move water via a new 3km pipeline, which connects Ludham to Horstead Water Tower.
Ultimately, the water in the tower comes from one of the company’s main treatment centres at Heigham in Norwich. A new booster station and additional water storage facility at Horstead will pump water directly to customers’ taps.
Sarah Underhill, regional water resources manager for Anglian Water, said: “We face some unique challenges in the Anglian Water region. We operate in the driest part of the country, receiving only two thirds of UK average rainfall.
“This is also one of the fasting growing in terms of population and home to over 100 environmentally important areas that are internationally recognised. All of which puts significant pressure on the water resources we have available now and for the future.
“Between now and 2025 we have agreed to reduce the amount of water we take from the environment by 84 million litres a day. This pipeline project at Ludham is one of the first schemes to be implemented to fulfil this commitment.
“The new pipeline means we can turn off our groundwater abstraction at Ludham. This will protect the environment in a much loved, unique part of our region whilst keeping taps running for thousands of nearby homes for years to come.”
The Ludham scheme will be supported by the £34 million (€40 million) improvement work at the company’s water treatment works at Heigham in Norwich, which was completed in 2019.
It also sits alongside longer-term project as Anglian Water begins to install up to 500km of large-scale pipeline running from north Lincolnshire to the south and east of its region.
