Anglian Water has completed upgrades in Lower Stondon, central Bedfordshire, replacing 1.8 kilometres of water pipes, with all roads connected to the upgrades now restored and fully open to traffic.

The £1.5 million upgrade from Station Road to Brassey Way, which started in November last year and was completed on schedule, was essential to supply drinking water to around 760 new homes being built in the area and to ensure safe and reliable water supplies to the village as the population grows.

Georgia Phillips, Customer Experience Specialist for the project, said: “Anglian Water sends nearly a billion litres of clean and healthy drinking water to its customers each and every day. New infrastructure, like the water pipe upgrades in Lower Stondon, is needed to make sure there’s enough water for all our customers now and in the future as we face increasing pressure on our water resources due to climate change and population growth.”

To carry out the upgrade safely, the water company, along with its long-term delivery partner @one Alliance, needed to close the A600 for a few days at the end of February and start of March 2026. Throughout the project, Anglian Water teams worked closely with the Parish Council and listened to local feedback to reduce disruption compared to the original plans, which would have required a lengthy road closure on Bedford Road (A600).

The @one Alliance brings together specialist teams from Anglian Water Asset Delivery and expert companies including Balfour Beatty, Barhale, Binnies, Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB), MWH Treatment, Sweco and Skanska to plan, design and deliver better water infrastructure for local communities such as Lower Stondon.

Phillips said: “We’re building for better in our region, with a £348 million investment over the next five years to renew more than 1,100 kilometres of water pipes across the East of England. We’re focusing on the pipes that need it most to help reduce leaks and keep water supplies reliable for the future.

“As part of our Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP), this water pipes upgrade will help make sure we can keep taps running and toilets flushing for residents in and around Lower Stondon for years to come. We’d like to thank our customers in the village and the surrounding areas for their continued patience while we carried out this vital upgrade to the water network.”  

The Lower Stondon upgrade work follows the driest spring and summer since 1976, with the warmest summer on record for the UK. This meant the majority of Anglian Water’s water resources were at low levels heading into the 2025/26 winter. Fortunately, due to several wet months and careful management, the company has been able to capture and store more rainfall, and most sources are now back to normal levels.

Going into the warmer and drier months of the year, Anglian Water teams are continuing to work round the clock to fix pipes, upgrade systems and secure more water for the future. Anglian Water is also encouraging customers to be water-wise ahead of the warmer months, to keep supplies readily available for the region.

From taking shorter showers to putting a full load in your washing machine (saving up to 10 litres of water) little steps can really make a difference. Find more water-saving tips here, and for further information on Anglian Water’s £11 billion investment programme, visit this page.