Anglian Water has completed work on a project to lay new sewer pipes in Lowestoft, East Suffolk.

The pipes were replaced as the existing pipes were at risk from coastal erosion on the beach at the town's Gunton Warren Nature Reserve.

The company's region, which covers the East of England, is the driest and flattest part of the country, meaning the effects of climate change, including extreme weather events, are already being keenly felt here. In Lowestoft, increasingly common storms and extreme weather are causing the beach at the Gunton Warren Nature Reserve to wear away.

There were three critical sewer pipes running through Gunton Warren Nature Reserve, which were at risk because of the erosion. One of these pipes carried all of Lowestoft’s wastewater to the Water Recycling Centre (WRC) to be treated. A second pipe carried the cleaned water away from the WRC to the outfall in the sea, safely returning it to the environment. The third pipe takes away wastewater from the nearby pumping station for treatment.

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The scheme, which began in January 2022 and finished in December, has seen this vital infrastructure moved inland to protect the town's sewer network.

Anglian Water also worked in close partnership with East Suffolk Council and the Suffolk Wildlife Trust to plan the best route for the new pipeline. This included surveys to ascertain how to protect the Gunton Warren Nature Reserve, reducing the scheme’s impact on established flora and fauna and the habits of hibernating animals at the nature reserve. This collaboration follows work from the water company in 2020 to support East Suffolk Council’s flood alleviation scheme in Lowestoft.

The partnership also prioritised public enjoyment of the nature reserve, with new disabled access installed as part of the project.

Rebecca Shaw, Project Manager for Anglian Water said: "If we didn't do this work, we expect that the pipes would be lost to coastal erosion within two or three years, and a bad winter this year could have accelerated this even sooner. If these pipes had been exposed, not only would this put our customers at risk, but it could also have resulted in sewage spills in the North Sea.

"It was also really important to us that we protect local biodiversity and wildlife at the Gunton Warren Nature Reserve, so we have worked closely with ecologists, arboriculturists and the Suffolk Wildlife Trust to ensure our work didn’t negatively impact the nature reserve. Our customers and the environment are equally important to us, which is why we have carried out this proactive work to protect both."