Anglian Water Advances Landmark Reservoir Project to Future-Proof East of England Supplies

Work is gathering pace on the new Middlegate Reservoir in Lincolnshire, a key component of Anglian Water's multi-billion-pound strategy to improve water resilience, tackle climate pressures and support one of the UK's fastest-growing regions.

Construction is progressing on Anglian Water's Middlegate Reservoir, a flagship infrastructure project that will become a critical hub within the company's ambitious Strategic Pipeline Programme, helping secure long-term water supplies across the East of England.

Situated in Lincolnshire, the new reservoir will form the operational heart of the 52km East-to-Lincolnshire (E2L) Strategic Pipeline, enabling treated water to be stored, conditioned and transferred efficiently across the wider network as demand fluctuates.

The project is being delivered through Anglian Water's @one Alliance, working in partnership with the Strategic Pipeline Alliance (SPA), and forms part of one of the UK's largest water infrastructure investment programmes.

Building Resilience for a Water-Stressed Region

The East of England faces a unique combination of challenges.

Despite being one of the driest parts of the country, it is also experiencing rapid population growth, placing increasing pressure on existing water resources. Climate change is expected to intensify these pressures further through changing rainfall patterns and more frequent periods of drought.

To address those challenges, Anglian Water is creating a more interconnected regional network capable of moving water between areas of surplus and those experiencing higher demand.

Middlegate Reservoir is a central element of that strategy.

More Than Just a Reservoir

The development extends well beyond the construction of a storage basin.

The scheme includes:

• A new treated water conditioning plant

• A high-capacity pumping station

• Lagoon infrastructure

• Approximately 1.6km of cross-site pipelines

• Associated electrical, mechanical and control systems

Together, the facilities will receive treated water from East Lincolnshire before preparing it for distribution through the strategic pipeline network.

The additional storage capacity will provide greater operational flexibility, allowing water to be retained and released when required, while improving resilience during maintenance activities, peak demand periods and operational events.

Low-Carbon Construction Techniques

Sustainability has been embedded throughout the construction programme.

The project team is using prefabricated concrete components to improve construction quality while reducing on-site activity and associated environmental impacts.

In addition, concrete mixes containing higher proportions of Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) are being used to lower embodied carbon compared with conventional concrete production.

The approach supports Anglian Water's wider ambitions to reduce the carbon footprint of its capital delivery programme.

Digital Twin to Support Long-Term Asset Management

Middlegate Reservoir is also being developed using digital twin technology, creating a virtual replica of the completed asset that will remain in use throughout its operational life.

The digital model will allow engineers to monitor performance, analyse operational data and make more informed maintenance decisions, helping improve efficiency while extending the life of the infrastructure.

Digital twins are becoming an increasingly important tool across the infrastructure sector, enabling asset owners to optimise performance and reduce whole-life operating costs.

Part of a £3bn Investment Programme

The reservoir forms part of Anglian Water's wider AMP8 investment programme, with the @one Alliance responsible for delivering more than £3 billion of infrastructure investment between 2025 and 2030.

The alliance brings together expertise from:

• Anglian Water

• Balfour Beatty

• Barhale

• Binnies

• Mott MacDonald Bentley

• MWH Treatment

• Skanska

• Sweco

Together, the partners are delivering a programme of strategic water infrastructure designed to improve resilience, protect the environment and ensure reliable water supplies for future generations.

As construction progresses, Middlegate Reservoir is set to become a cornerstone of Anglian Water's long-term resilience strategy, helping create a more flexible and interconnected water network capable of meeting the demands of a changing climate and a growing population.