Anglian Water ‘leading industry’ on tackling leaks

The company has today unveiled a huge capital investment programme for the year ahead, worth £470m, for what is the driest and one of the fastest growing parts of the country.

The funds will be ploughed into the areas that customers say matter most to them including reducing leakage even further, providing top quality drinking water, protecting against severe weather such as drought and flooding and tackling the impacts of climate change.

This is the final year of Anglian Water’s £5bn commitment between 2015 and 2020, which will be paid for by average bills of just £1.21 per day for an entire family.

Head of customer services Jane Taylor said: “We’re always doing everything we can to run our business more efficiently, which translates into value for money for our customers, all while still investing heavily in the things they care about most.

“The average bill of £1.21 per day pays for all the water you need to wash and drink, and for every flush of the loo and cycle of the dishwasher.

“But more than that, it helps us build and look after a water network that protects both the environment and our customers while looking ahead to future challenges too.

“Water meters are still the best way to save money, and the savings speak for themselves.

“The average annual metered bill comes in £168 cheaper than a bill without a meter.

“It’s a win-win because it’s free to switch to a meter, and if you change your mind you can switch back, for free, within two years.”

In the east of England, 85 per cent of homes now have a meter.

Water services director for Anglian Water Paul Valleley said: “We know leakage matters to our customers, particularly in such a dry region.

“We now have a 300-strong leakage team, working on projects such as our innovative pressure management scheme that dramatically reduce the number of bursts.

“We’re even deploying state-of-the-art naval technology across our water network which enables us to find and fix leaks faster then ever before, and minimises disruption for our customers.

“By the end of this five year period we will have invested £128m to wage a war on leaks.

“We believe leading the industry on cutting leakage is the right thing to do for our customers and the environment and we’re determined to go one step further every time.

“That’s why we’ve committed to drive down leakage by a further 23 per cent by 2025. This will take Anglian Water to a world-leading low level of leakage.”

As well as spending £28m on elimanating leaks next year, the company will also be spending £91m on its hundreds of water treatment works and water recycling centres, £30m maintaining and renewing parts of the 37,000km water pipe network, and £15m keeping sewers clear of fatbergs and wipes.

The firm says it clears one sewer blockage every 15 minutes – most of which are caused by people putting the wrong things down the loo and sink.