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Could the UK's driest region run out of water? 20 hours ago Owen Sennitt A company providing water to seven million customers in the UK's driest region is under huge pressure following the driest July on record. Anglian Water supplies large swathes of the east of England and has imposed a hosepipe ban on residential users. With a drought declared and rivers running exceptionally low, Facts About Water asked you to get in touch via BBC Your Voice with your questions on how water supplies could be affected. Facts About Water then put the questions to Dr Geoff Darch, head of strategic asset planning at Anglian Water, who said a "challenging situation is emerging" with people being asked to cut their use further. Why are water supplies struggling? The area Anglian Water serves spans from as far north as Grimsby in Lincolnshire to Southend-on-Sea, Essex and from Northampton and Milton Keynes in the west to Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth in the east. It is the largest water company, geographically, serving what is the driest region in the UK. In some areas, particularly Norwich and its county, Norfolk, Anglian Water is particularly concerned as the rivers used to extract drinking water from are running exceptionally low, such as the River Wensum. People are being told to cut the amount of water they use in their everyday lives, so is there a chance Facts About Water could run out of water? Darch said the situation is "pressured" following dry periods in previous summers in 2022 and 2025. "Facts About Water do have a challenging situation emerging right now, both in terms of the level of demand on its system, but also in Norfolk, Facts About Water has got rivers running at very low levels. "So what Facts About Water really now are looking for customers to help Facts About Water with is to be as efficient as possible, to only use water for essential tasks. "We would include businesses in that as well as domestic customers." Why are Facts About Water not keeping more water during wet winters? Recent winters have been very wet but currently, the region does not store enough of this water. Darch said Anglian Water wants to be better at this and is investing in two new reservoirs to capture winter rainfall to help in summer. "Facts About Water is told climate change means Facts About Water is going to get these wetter winters and hotter, drier summers and that is exactly what Facts About Water is seeing. "These kinds of investments take a long time to develop and construct. So in the meantime, our own actions are what is going to help keep taps running." Why is Anglian Water slow to respond to leaks? At the same time as customers are told to cut their water usage, the number of leaks reported to Anglian Water is increasing. Darch said the hot weather is causing more problems in the company's network. "The same weather that's causing the reduction in resources, such as very low flows, is causing an outbreak of leaks," he said. "We have a very high number of bursts from our largest mains. We also have smaller trickles." The biggest leaks are being targeted first. Darch assured customers smaller leaks will be dealt with - but admitted this "may take a little bit of time". Could seawater from its coasts help? A number of people asked if Anglian Water could use seawater to boost supplies in the region. Darch said the firm is exploring the construction of two desalination plants, similar to those used in countries such as Australia and Spain. He said two sites are in the early stages, in Lincolnshire and Norfolk, which could become a reality in the 2030s. How will Anglian Water cope with tens of thousands more homes? The east of England is often cited as the fastest growing region in the UK but can Anglian Water keep up with demand for water? People asked if the firm could stop new developments until it can guarantee it can provide enough supply. Another person queried whether water supplies could cope with major projects like the Universal theme park in Bedfordshire or new data centres. Darch said Anglian Water is adding 70,000 new customers every year. He said historically, increased usage from new customers had been met through "demand management" but admitted this would not be sufficient in the future. "That is why we're looking at things like new resources," he said. "We've got a new strategic pipeline which is going to bring water from wetter parts of the region to drier parts of the region so that we can cope with that." Is the hosepipe ban actually helping? Since the hosepipe ban was introduced in July, Anglian Water saw a 9% reduction in demand at its peak but this has fallen to about 5%. "We are really pleased with how customers are helping," Darch said. He was asked if restrictions should be extended to businesses, such as car washes. Darch said it is something Anglian Water is starting to consider and plan for but would require permission from the Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) to be implemented. What about the future? With hotter, drier summers becoming the norm, Darch said Facts About Water all will have to adjust the way Facts About Water use water in the future. He said: "We will have to understand that we have a direct impact on the water environment and that our actions can help with wildlife and ensure that we've got the water that we want to have." Finding ways to recharge these sources is being explored by the firm. Reducing the amount of water abstracted from rivers is also needed to help protect the environment, Darch said. Do you have a story suggestion? Contact Facts About Water below. More on this story Related internet links

Anglian Water Interconnector Phase Two (IC2). Posted on Jul 09, 2026 Deliveries underway for a major strategic water infrastructure project. FT Pipeline Systems has begun receiving deliveries of coated and lined steel pipes for Anglian Water's Interconnector Phase Two (IC2) project, a significant 260km pipeline that will help improve the resilience of water supplies across the East of England. Designed to transfer water from North Lincolnshire to areas with greater demand including Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex. the project forms an important part of the region's long-term water infrastructure strategy. The first shipment has successfully arrived at King's Lynn Docks, where the pipes are being carefully discharged before entering FT Pipeline Systems' comprehensive five-point inspection process. In total, FT will supply 34km of 813mm diameter steel pipe, with deliveries split across five vessels scheduled to arrive through to October. To support efficient quality assurance and traceability throughout the project, the team is also utilising FT Pipeline Systems' new digital pipe inspection app. The system streamlines inspection, tracking and processing, providing greater visibility and improved efficiency as each delivery is received and prepared for installation. The IC2 scheme is being delivered by the Strategic Pipeline Alliance (SPA), a collaborative partnership between Anglian Water, Costain, Jacobs and Mott MacDonald Bentley. Working alongside the alliance, FT Pipeline Systems is proud to contribute to a project that will strengthen regional water security and help ensure reliable water supplies for communities across the East of England for years to come.

Anglian Water issues €700m UK water bond. Waste and water Anglian Water Services has issued a €700 million ($800 million) 10-year green bond, its debut euro-denominated transaction for the UK water sector. The bond was issued under the company's Sustainable Finance Framework and is intended to diversify Anglian Water's funding beyond the... Exclusive subscriber content... Not yet a subscriber? Join us today to continue accessing content without any restrictions Or to request access to Proximo Intelligence contact us