Copyright cambridge-news
Two water companies are planning a 70-kilometre pipeline to safeguard Cambridge water supplies. Anglian Water and Cambridge Water say the pipeline will respond to rapid growth in the area and the impacts of climate change. A 28km 'interconnector' from Grafham to Cambridge is the first step in Anglian Water's multibillion pound investment into providing water to support growth in the East of England. It will form part of a 70km pipeline transferring water from Anglian Water's network in Grafham to Cambridge Water. Future phases will include a spur to feed Cambridge city, and an extension into Suffolk. Anglian Water and Cambridge Water have launched a public consultation for the proposed 'interconnector' from October 27 to December 21. Ian Rule, Director of Water Services at Anglian Water, said: "After the driest spring and summer since 1976, we’re seeing the harsh impacts of climate change on our region first-hand. In addition, the East of England is one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, with 720,000 new residents expected by 2043. "We’re acting now to ensure that, together with Cambridge Water, we can supply our region with clean, reliable water and strengthen local resilience to reduce the number of homes and businesses that rely on a single water source." The water companies will host consultation events about the proposals before submitting a formal planning application. These events will include maps, timelines, and frequently-asked questions. Caroline Cooper, Strategy and Regulation Director at Cambridge Water, said: "This project has the potential to deliver 26 million litres of water into our region every day. This much-needed interconnector will help us unlock a more sustainable future and ensure we continue to deliver a reliable water supply to our customers, enable the area’s growth ambition, relieve the pressure of abstraction on our underground aquifers, and retain more water for the environment and our local chalk streams." Andy Alder, MD Major Infrastructure Delivery at Anglian Water, added: "This is a pivotal project for our AMP8 infrastructure delivery in securing the supply of water in Cambridge, but it must be delivered in the right way. That includes ensuring that residents along the route have an opportunity to learn about the work we’re proposing and share their views during the planning process. We welcome contributions and feedback. "As well as our communities, our environment is at the forefront of this project, too. We have already undertaken ecological surveys and adapted our plans to protect the wildlife along the route. Importantly, we’re making plans to move water using a new interconnecting pipeline to reduce the amount of water we need to take from the environment to supply customers' taps in Cambridgeshire."
