Costain, as part of the Strategic Pipeline Alliance (SPA), will help deliver an additional 260 kilometres of new interconnecting pipelines for Anglian Water, reinforcing efforts to secure long-term water resilience in the East of England.

SPA, which also includes Farrans, Jacobs, and Mott MacDonald Bentley, is expanding its existing work with Anglian Water to increase the total length of the strategic pipeline network to 580km by 2030. The infrastructure will facilitate the transfer of water from wetter regions such as North Lincolnshire to drier areas including Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex.

The East of England is one of the driest and fastest-growing regions in the UK, with only two-thirds of the country's average rainfall and an anticipated population increase of one million people by 2045. These pressures, coupled with the growing effects of climate change, make investment in sustainable water infrastructure critical.

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Anglian Water's interconnector programme is central to the utility's strategy to reduce dependency on water abstraction from environmentally sensitive sites, such as chalk streams, and ensure a reliable supply for future generations. The pipeline programme is part of Anglian Water’s £11 billion capital investment plan.

Since joining SPA in 2020, Costain and its partners have introduced innovative, low-impact engineering practices, including a low-water commissioning method using compressed, dry, clean air to disinfect pipes—cutting water use by 85% during testing.

Sam White, managing director, natural resources at Costain, said: "Anglian Water and the Strategic Pipeline Alliance have adopted and embraced a collaborative approach that has proven to be a breeding ground for innovation and efficiency on this complex but critical project.

"Alliancing models such as these are an excellent way of incentivising the entire supply chain to pull in the same direction for a common goal, creating a positive culture, upskilling workforces and adopting production thinking techniques that drive efficiency. We look forward to delivering new drought-busting pipelines that will improve the region's resilience as it faces the twin threats of climate change and a growing population."