This message is from James Zealand, Network Service Support Manager at Anglian Water Services Limited.

As part of our commitment to maintaining high water quality standards, Wittering Water Tower was recently taken out of service for scheduled cleaning. This essential work is enforced by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) under our regulatory obligations as set out under Regulation 31 of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016.

To facilitate this, we first upgraded our existing water boosters to ensure consistent service delivery during the tower’s downtime. Once the booster pumps were operational, they unfortunately worsened a few pre-existing leaks in the system. These leaks proved challenging to locate and were eventually traced to Wittering Ford Road.

Fortunately, we are currently in the process of replacing the mains along Wittering Ford Road, which is approximately 2.5km of pipeline. This significant upgrade is expected to be commissioned and fully operational within the next few days. Once completed, the new infrastructure will enhance system pressure and significantly reduce the likelihood of future supply interruptions. This work is not only vital for improving customer service but also forms part of our statutory responsibilities under Section 37 of the Water Industry Act 1991, which mandates the ongoing maintenance of the water network.

We continue to monitor pressures across the system closely and are making adjustments to the pumps as needed to maintain stability. While the recent supply issues stemmed from longstanding network challenges, they were unfortunately exacerbated by the required configuration changes during this essential work.

We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused and fully recognise the impact this may have had on our customers. Any customers eligible for compensation under the Guaranteed Standards Scheme (GSS) due to loss of supply will be contacted and reimbursed accordingly, subject to post-event verification.