Anglian Water Pipeline Project Aims for Partial Completion This Year as Work Resumes

The UK’s long-delayed Anglian Water pipeline project is making significant progress this year, with a portion of the ambitious 205-mile (330-kilometer) pipeline expected to be finished by autumn 2026.
The £500 million project, announced in 2019, is designed to transport 55 million liters (12 million gallons) of water daily from North Lincolnshire to Essex. Since the launch of its construction, the pipeline has encountered multiple delays, which have stretched the project's completion timeline beyond the initially estimated time.
However, the company said work on segments between Elsham and Lincoln is anticipated to restart in the spring and reach completion by autumn 2026.
According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, construction on the Grantham to Peterborough section is slated to resume in the summer of 2026. The project also includes the construction of pumping stations at Welton, Waddington, and Welby, the upgrade of Lincoln's Westgate water tower, and the construction of a storage reservoir at Welby.
An Anglian Water spokesperson cited “significant challenges” in recent years that have impacted construction, including steel supply issues, record rainfall last winter, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
In its original application, the company noted that the east of England is officially classified as “water stressed,” emphasizing the need to carefully manage water resources to balance supply and demand.
Anglian Water said it is pursuing a two-pronged approach: reducing demand through leak reduction, smart meter installation and investment in water efficiency measures, while also exploring new water supply methods to lessen reliance on rivers and boreholes.