The foundations are being laid today for a 20-million-litre water storage tank.
This critical piece of infrastructure, which will be finished by autumn 2027, will mark a major milestone in Anglian Water’s building of a pipeline, spanning 205 miles between North Lincolnshire and Essex.
The storage tank will be located at Welby, near Grantham, and will be used to transfer up to 55 million litres of water a day between Lincoln and Grantham, moving water to where it’s needed most with a new pumping station and generator.
The site of the storage reservoir at Welby, near Grantham. Photo: Supplied
Aron Petney, construction manager at SPA, said: “This new 20‑million‑litre water storage tank at Welby is about making sure we’re ready for the future. It will help us store water and move it around the region more easily, so we can keep supplies running during dry periods and support growing communities across Lincolnshire and beyond.
“We’re also focused on building it in a smart and sustainable way, using lower-carbon materials and a proven design. That means we can create something that lasts while limiting its impact on the environment.”
The design is a replica of the storage reservoir in Rede, near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk.
The design is a replica of the storage reservoir in Rede, near Bury St Edmunds, further down the strategic pipeline. Photo: Supplied
The new pipeline includes a 90km pipeline which runs from Grantham to Bexwell, near Downham Market, via Peterborough, travelling through a number of villages in South Lincolnshire, including Grimsthorpe, Lound, near to Thurlby and Glinton.
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.
While most of Anglian Water’s water storage reservoirs are underground, the Welby storage reservoir will sit above ground. It will be a large, purpose‑built structure designed to safely store water and support a reliable supply for customers.
The build of the storage reservoir and pipeline is being delivered by Anglian Water’s Strategic Pipeline Alliance, comprising leading partners Costain, Farrans, Jacobs, and Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB).
