Anglian Water has set out plans to renew 1,000 kilometres of water mains as part of its investment programme, with locations chosen based on need and the age of existing infrastructure under regulatory arrangements.

The announcement came during scrutiny by Norfolk County Council's Infrastructure and Development Select Committee on 10 September 2026, where members pressed the company on what practical steps it was taking to reduce leakage.

Anglian Water also agreed to consider providing free water butts to customers in spring 2027, telling councillors that such schemes had historically been most effective when launched in spring.

The company acknowledged, in response to a direct question from a councillor, that investment across the water industry had previously been kept low in order to hold down customer bills, and that climate change had now made the case for greater spending unavoidable.

Anglian Water said its five-year investment plan could be adjusted where necessary and agreed to share it with the committee. Members had raised concern that the current plan did not sufficiently account for exceptional summer conditions of the kind seen in 2026.

The company also confirmed it was contributing to the government's consultation on the Water Bill, ahead of forthcoming regulatory reforms intended to overhaul the water industry.

The committee asked Anglian Water to return in early 2027 to discuss flooding preparedness and longer-term drought planning in more detail.