Anglian Water has appointed contractors to deliver an additional 260km of new, interconnecting pipelines by 2030 as part of its commitment to securing the East of England’s water supply.

A Strategic Pipeline Alliance, comprising Costain, Farrans, Jacobs and Mott MacDonald Bentley, will deliver the project.

 The extension builds on the existing SPA interconnector work and will take the total length of the strategic pipeline to 580km.

The new agreement will enable the crucial transfer of water from wetter parts of the Anglian region in North Lincolnshire to drier parts, including Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex.

The East of England is one of the driest regions in the country, with only two-thirds of England’s average rainfall. It is also one of the fastest growing, with potential population growth of one million people by 2045.

Together, these challenges make the Anglian Water region particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including drought and flooding.

Anglian Water’s interconnector programme will play a vital role in safeguarding the environment by reducing reliance on water abstraction from sensitive areas, including chalk streams, to create sustainable water supply for generations. This forms part of Anglian Water’s wider programme of work worth £11bn – its largest ever and almost double that of the previous five-year period.

Sam White, managing director, natural resources at Costain, said: “Anglian Water and the Strategic Pipeline Alliance have adopted and embraced a collaborative approach that has proven to be a breeding ground for innovation and efficiency on this complex but critical project.

“Alliancing models such as these are an excellent way of incentivising the entire supply chain to pull in the same direction for a common goal, creating a positive culture, upskilling workforces and adopting production thinking techniques that drive efficiency.

“We look forward to delivering new drought-busting pipelines that will improve the region’s resilience as it faces the twin threats of climate change and a growing population.”

Andy Alder, managing director of major infrastructure delivery at Anglian Water, said: “The Strategic Pipeline Alliance has delivered over 200 kilometres of pipeline since its inception in 2020.

“This is a monumental project, and the team should be incredibly proud of what we have achieved together, as well as what we will continue to achieve in the next five years.”