Anglian Water is beginning work next week to install a new storm tank in Flitwick, near Bedford, in line with new Environment Agency regulations.

The scheme marks an investment of almost £2 million, as part of a larger programme of work to increase storm water storage across the East of England, with overall investment in the programme totalling more than £100 million.

The additional storm water storage across the region will help to capture and redirect more than 72.5 million litres of rainwater to help protect the environment during heavy rainfall.

The programme specifically aims to increase resilience across the East of England, which is likely to see the impacts of the climate emergency – like drought and flooding – more keenly than anywhere else in the UK. It forms part of the company’s Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP), a programme of environmental investment which is taking place between 2020-2025.

Anglian’s WINEP totals over £800 million of work which is specifically targeted at protecting the environment and improving river water quality. It is the largest WINEP plan of any water company, with double the number of commitments made and delivered in the previous five-year period.

The new storm tank at Flitwick will help to capture nearly 1 million additional litres of storm water during extreme weather and flooding, so it can then be treated before being returned to the nearby water courses.

This builds resilience to extreme weather caused by climate change and protecting the environment by helping to reduce the use of storm overflows, providing additional protection for rivers, many of which in the East of England are unique chalk stream habitats.

Polly Garrod, Regional Treatment Manager, said:

“We know how important rivers and the wider environment are to our customers and local communities. We’re really pleased that this scheme will help to protect nearby rivers and increase our resilience to climate change, by helping us make sure the wastewater is treated to an even higher standard than usual before it’s returned to the natural environment.

“As a result of climate change, we’re seeing more bouts of extreme weather, sudden downpours and rising sea levels, so it’s really important that our sites are prepared to process higher volumes of stormwater and protect the environment. That’s why we’ve committed through our Get River Positive programme that our water recycling processes will not harm rivers, with schemes like this one in Flitwick.”

Get River Positive was launched by Anglian Water and Severn Trent last year. The plan includes five pledges to transform river water quality across their regions and demonstrates a clear and actionable response to calls for a revival of rivers in England. Central to the pledges is a commitment that work carried out by the two water companies will ensure storm overflows and sewage treatment works do not harm rivers.

Work on the scheme at Flitwick will take place on site at the company’s Maulden Road water recycling centre and is expected to finish in summer 2023.