Anglian Water’s @one Alliance are working across the region upgrading various water recycling centres (WRC), installing new equipment which will remove phosphorous from wastewater to improve the river water quality within Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.

Phosphorous is widely used in soaps and cleaning products but can be harmful to wildlife when it reaches rivers and other watercourses.

The investment across these counties will total approximately £15 million and see the installation of new equipment to reinforce the current water recycling process and will remove even more phosphorous from wastewater. This will help prevent harmful algae growth and improve water quality in local rivers.

Thanks to sustained investment from the water industry into schemes like these over the last 30 years, the concentration of phosphorus in rivers has been reduced by 80%.

Regan Harris, spokesperson for Anglian Water, said: “Our current environmental investment programme is one of the biggest in the sector. We’re really pleased that these upgrades to our water recycling centres in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire will help to protect nearby rivers and increase our resilience to climate change; by helping us make sure the wastewater is treated to an even higher standard than usual before it’s returned to the natural environment.

“We know how important rivers and the wider environment are to our customers and local communities. That’s why we’ve pledged through our Get River Positive programme that our water recycling processes will not harm rivers.”

Get River Positive was launched by Anglian Water and Severn Trent in 2022. The plan includes five pledges to transform river water quality across their regions and demonstrates a clear and actionable response to calls for a revival of rivers in England. Central to the pledges is a commitment that work carried out by the two water companies will ensure storm overflows and sewage treatment works do not harm rivers.

Over the next five years, Anglian Water will double its investment into the environment to £4bn as part of proposals in its largest ever business plan, totalling £9bn, if given final approval by Ofwat.

Bedfordshire

Buckinghamshire

Hertfordshire