Anglian Water has highlighted some of its upcoming investment commitments as its five year AMP6  £5 billion business plan begins, including the introduction of a new social tariff.

The plan promises to deliver a £60million war on leakage; investment to ensure resilient water and water recycling services, to protect customers and the environment from severe weather such as drought and flooding; and commitments to tackle the impacts of climate change.

“There is also a pledge on the cost of living,” said Martyn Oakley, Anglian Water’s Director of Customer Service. “While, committing to this multibillion pound investment programme, average customer bills are dropping by 7 per cent this year - the biggest percentage fall of all other water and sewerage companies in the UK. We’ve also introduced a brand new tariff for those struggling to pay and the Anglian Water Assistance Fund has been increased to £1million to help customers facing real financial hardship.”

Projects starting across the region on 1^st April will be delivered by Anglian Water and its carefully selected supply chain partners which have signed new contracts that could run for 15 years - an industry first. The water company said these longer partnerships will make the business even more efficient, collaborative and innovative, while ensuring customers are completely satisfied with the service they receive, at a price that is also as low as possible until the end of the decade.

The supply chain partners will deliver an extensive programme of work between now and 2020 but they will only recover head office costs and earn profit when they outperform Anglian Water’s business plan.

Upcoming AMP6 projects include:

• £19 million in the first year of the Plan to keep leakage levels the lowest in the UK - part of a five year, £60 million war on leakage
• £22 million to improve the resilience of the network from Grafham Water Treatment Works, which supplies water for over 1.5 million people
• £42 million investment at the water treatment works and water recycling centre in Norwich. These schemes have been designed to protect the natural environment in the River Wensum and support the predicted growth of Norwich.
• £3.5 million for flood projects that will help to overcome the challenges of complex, multi-owned, and interconnected drainage networks
• £10 million to connect hundreds more homes to the mains sewerage network for the first time in the next year, with more than £70 million investment over the five years
• Over £10 million to improve and protect the region’s coastline and coastal waters
• £60 million to protect the natural environment and improve the raw water quality of rivers and watercourses
• £1 million a year in the Anglian Water Assistance Fund to help those customers who are in financial hardship and need it the most.
• Free water efficiency home audits and water saving devices for customers across the entire Anglian Water region as part of an enhanced water efficiency offering

New low income tariff for households struggling to pay bills

Anglian Water has also introduced a new tariff to help those customers who may struggle to pay their water or sewerage bill where it accounts for a significant proportion of their disposable income.

The LITE (Low Income Tariff for Eligible Households) tariff will be independently means-assessed by Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) Northampton and provide a discount on eligible customer’s bills according to their individual circumstances.

As well as making a recommendation to Anglian Water about someone’s eligibility for the tariff, CAB Northampton will also be supporting applicants to increase their income, to reduce their water usage and to signpost or refer them to sources of local advice.

LITE builds on Anglian Water’s commitment to helping vulnerable customers and the raft of measures it already provides, such as free water meters and water saving devices, the Aquacare Plus and Watersure tariffs and a special Anglian Water Assistance Fund for customers facing real hardship.