Anglian Water has confirmed that the hosepipe ban affecting Norfolk residents will remain in place well into autumn, with water levels still significantly below the required threshold. Representatives told the Infrastructure and Development Select Committee on 10 September that the initial sharp drop in demand showed strong public support, and the company would continue to explain the reasons to customers.

The company acknowledged that historic underinvestment had contributed to the current pressures, telling councillors that spending across the water industry had previously been held back to keep customer bills low. Climate change, it said, had now made the case for greater investment clear.

Anglian Water outlined plans to renew 1,000 kilometres of water mains to reduce leakage, with locations chosen based on need and the age of infrastructure. The company also said it would consider offering free water butts in spring, when such schemes have historically proved most effective.

On housing growth, Anglian Water revealed it has allocated £158 million to reduce phosphorus levels at water recycling centres across the region. However, it warned that its current business plan was drawn up before the uplift in housing targets and does not include funding to handle the additional demand. The company said it was not a statutory consultee on planning applications but had adopted a more proactive approach to engaging with developers.

Reservoir capacity also came under scrutiny. Anglian Water described significant planned investment in reservoirs in Fenland and South Lincolnshire, alongside proposals to transfer water from the north into Norfolk, Lincolnshire and Colchester. Shorter-term measures, including farm-based winter storage schemes developed with the Environment Agency, are also in progress.

Residents in Sedgeford and nearby villages who experienced four days of water outages and low pressure over the May bank holiday weekend received an apology from the company. Anglian Water said a leak on Church Road and demand running 30–40% above normal had caused the disruption, and it committed to working with the Norfolk Resilience Forum to monitor performance.

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