What a hoot! Anglian Water talon everyone about their plans to protect owls

- Water company protecting wildlife as they construct one of Europe’s biggest environmental projects: a multi-million-pound water main grid for the east of England  

- The underground pipelines will move water from wetter to drier areas of the region 

- Barn owl boxes follow ‘navigation’ fences for bats and help for toads    

Anglian Water is making a wise move – creating 50 new nesting boxes to help owls make a happy home. 
 
The nests are being installed as the water company builds a huge multi-million-pound water main network across the region.  
 
The new network of interconnecting pipelines – from North Lincolnshire to Essex – will head off future water shortages by moving water from wetter to drier areas of the region.  
 
The work will affect some existing barn owl homes, so new ones are being put in place to make sure the beloved birds continue to have a hoot as they prepare for spring courtship and pair bonding. 
 
The barn owl is the classic white owl of the countryside with its distinctive heart-shaped face and females will soon begin to identify places to lay their eggs. 
 
Teams of ecologists will climb trees using ropes to put up the nesting boxes about four metres above ground. 
 
Andrew Weston, from the ecology team leading the initiative, said: “As well as delivering a much-needed network of new water mains – to keep fresh, clean water flowing across the region and tackle the threat of future water shortages – we’re committed to maintaining rich, diverse, environmentally-friendly landscapes in the areas we work.   
 
“The nestboxes will replace original ones that are being temporarily closed, but once the original boxes are reopened it will mean the owls have more nesting choice than ever.” 
 
The network is vital because East Anglia is one of the driest but also one of the fastest expanding regions in the UK in both population and business. The work will futureproof the region’s success. 
 
But the water company has pledged to look after the future of wildlife along the route as the job is completed. 
 
Bat populations have already been given new bat highways to help them safely reach their traditional hunting grounds and workers have previously joined forces with Toadwatch to protect under-threat amphibians. 
 
Last year, workers preparing a section of pipeline in Lincolnshire discovered some of the UK’s rarest bat species - barbastelles.   
 
Colin Wilkinson, who is overseeing construction of the new water main network across Lincolnshire, said: “Last summer’s heatwave highlighted the importance of our work, which will and keep fresh, clean water flowing into homes and businesses across the east of England while helping to futureproof the region against water shortages.  
 
“Simply put, without the new water main grid, demand for water will outstrip supply and parts of the east of England could run out of water as soon as 2030. The importance of our work really cannot be underestimated.” 
  
For more information please contact the Press Office on 0871 677 0123. 
 
Notes to editors 
 
Click here to visit the event or use this link: www.anglianwater.co.uk/spa 
 
About Anglian Water 
 
Anglian Water supplies drinking water to 4.3 million customers across the East of England and collects and treats used water from over 6 million people. We operate within the largest geographical region of England and Wales. 
 
Water is our business. It’s our job to handle it with care and balance the needs of our customers with those of the environment around us. 
 
Our ethos is ‘Love Every Drop’, because it’s what we do. Every drop of water is precious, and we believe it’s everyone’s responsibility to look after it. We’re constantly discovering new ways to keep ahead of a changing world, by planning for the future, and exploring new ideas to meet our customers’ individual needs today and tomorrow.