Volunteers from Anglian Water have spent the day in Peterborough cleaning up the paths, parks, and public spaces following the water company’s £27 million programme of investment in the city. The team collected a massive 35 bags of litter, helping protect habitats so Peterborough’s wildlife can thrive.

The litter pick, which took place on 1 September, followed a £3.3 million investment to repair the sewer network along the footpath which links Fengate and Potters Way. This scheme was part of a wider programme to upgrade Peterborough’s water and sewerage infrastructure, which amounts to a £27 million investment.

Libby Saunders, Customer Experience Coordinator for the project, said: “Two million pieces of litter are dropped in the UK every day, which costs £1 billion of taxpayers’ money to clear up. Not only is litter unsightly, it can also pose a real danger to wildlife.

“We take our responsibility to protect the local environment really seriously, which is why we’re investing £27 million into Peterborough’s water and sewerage infrastructure. But we’re also committed to helping communities thrive as we do it – and that’s why our teams spent the day in Peterborough on 1 September, cleaning up parks, paths, and public spaces.”

In addition to the work on Fengate and Potters Way, Anglian Water has replaced and relined sewer pipes in Thorpe Road and Bourges Boulevard, with plans also in place for a £16 million upgrade at the city’s main water recycling centre at Flag Fen. These investments have been designed to accommodate new homes and businesses in Peterborough, which is one of the UK’s fastest growing cities, and will help protect the environment at the same time.

This programme also includes improvements to the water networks across Peterborough. Engineers upgraded 2.4km of water pipes in Folksworth last summer, as well as laying new pipes in Great Haddon to keep taps flowing ahead of an additional 4,000 homes being built. Anglian Water is also working to install smart meters across the city, which will help households monitor their water use day-to-day so they can save both water and money.

Anglian Water’s programme of investment in Peterborough has been designed to support both environmental and social prosperity, in line with the water company’s purpose. Alongside the schemes to upgrade Peterborough’s water and sewerage infrastructure, the company has been working with local secondary schools with employability lessons, as well as offering early careers opportunities at its Thorpe Wood engineering HQ.

You can find out more about Anglian Water’s investment programme in Peterborough here.