Strategic Pipeline Alliance signs interconnector programme agreement

As part of Anglian Water’s commitment to securing the East of England’s water supply, the Strategic Pipeline Alliance (SPA) – of which Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB) is a key partner - has officially signed an agreement with the water company to deliver the next phase of pipeline as part of its ‘interconnector’ programme for the next five years.

This agreement marks a significant step in enhancing the region’s resilience to climate change and water scarcity.

SPA, comprising MMB and fellow leading partners Costain, Farrans and Jacobs, is set to deliver an additional 260 kilometres of new, interconnecting pipeline that branches into new areas in the East of England, taking the total length of the strategic pipeline to 580 kilometres. This 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.

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. By the end of the decade, Anglian will have completed its main strategic water grid and be ready to begin construction on two new reservoirs for the region – both of which will create jobs and bolster the local economy, helping the region to thrive.

Jason Tucker, Director of Commercial Operations at Anglian Water, said: "As we head into the next five years, which will see us deliver our biggest ever investment programme, our alliancing model continues to be an exemplar in the infrastructure industry, crucial to our success and meeting the demands of a growing population and climate change. I’d like to thank our partners for their ongoing commitment to the strategic pipeline and interconnector programme as we embark on this tremendous next phase.”

The 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.

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 following the agreement signed today. Thank you to everyone involved."

Colin Wilkinson, Programme Area Manager at MMB, said: "MMB is proud to be a part of the Strategic Pipeline Alliance. We're working closely with our fellow partners and supply chain as an integrated delivery team to help Anglian Water deliver this significant interconnector programme that will leave a lasting legacy for the region."

The project is leaving more than pipes behind, too. SPA has donated more than 2,500 books to primary schools and is proactively working with children on literacy development, planted thousands of trees to boost biodiversity, built special 'commuter' fences to help bats with their navigation and donated life-saving defibrillators to communities.