Anglian Water is putting the wheels in motion for almost half a billion pounds of investment for the coming financial year.

The funds will be invested in the areas customers say matter most to them after views were gathered during the company’s biggest ever public consultation, which shaped its £5 billion AMP6 Business Plan to 2020.

Now three years into its business plan, later this year Anglian will again ask customers to have their say as its AMP7 business plan for 2020–2025 is developed.

The investment will also underpin service for companies entering into the market to sell water and water recycling services to non-household customers – the water company has launched a new division to look after water retailers.

Anglian Water spends around half a million pounds every day running its business and operating the water and sewer networks - when this is added to the £425 million it will invest to improve infrastructure by April 2018, it brings the total to around £1 billion.

Investment projects planned over the next 12 months include:

• £17 million to keep leakage levels at industry-leading lows. By 2020 Anglian will have invested an extra £60 million in a war on leakage, bringing the five-year total spend to  £128 million.
• £48 million maintaining, refurbishing and renewing parts of the 37,000km water pipe network.
• £36 million at Heigham Water Treatment works in Norwich to protect the environment along the River Wensum, and secure supplies for the growing city of Norwich.
• £18 million to maintain and upgrade water recycling centres to accommodate the growing population in the region, including £2million in Essex, £3.2million in Lincolnshire, £4.7 million in Northamptonshire and £5.2 million in Suffolk.
• £10 million to install additional back-up generators at Grafham Water Treatment Works to make it more resilient to power cuts, and ensure it can continue pumping treated water to customers’ homes as far away as Milton Keynes. £1.5 million will also be invested to remove chlorine gas equipment from Grafham.
• £36 million maintaining, refurbishing and replacing parts of the 70,000km sewer network - £3 million of this will be used to survey and refurbish kilometres of sewers.
•  £15 million keeping sewers clear of fatbergs and wipes.
• £9.5 million to connect rural homes in Burston, Suffolk and rural villages across Norfolk to the mains sewerage network for the first time.
• Around £10 million to adopt and refurbish private pumping stations that are now the water company’s responsibility
• £8 million to reduce flooding from sewers as part of a £45 million focus that will protect hundreds of properties from flooding by 2020. In addition, £1.5 million this year will be used to jointly fund flood schemes with partners.
• £1million will be invested in innovation to create the water network of the future. The initiative will centre on Newmarket, and will become Anglian Water’s ‘Shop Window’ for pioneering new technology before rolling it out to the wider region. The project has already generated millions of pounds of efficiency savings.
• £1.3 million to protect the region’s coastal waters by investigating sources of agricultural and urban pollution, and working with the farming community to protect the rivers and boreholes that provide raw drinking water.
• £1 million for vulnerable customers, plus continuing support through tariffs such as LITE and Aquacare Plus for those struggling to pay.

Ian Rule, Anglian Water’s Director of Customer Services, said:

“This is a massive investment in the region. It’s based on what our customers tell us really matters to them. We aim to act on those priorities, while keeping bills as low as possible for as long as we can.”

“This month also sees really significant changes for businesses in England and Wales, now all non domestic customers can choose their water supplier.”