Anglian Water is investing nearly half a million pounds in two schemes that will save more than one million litres of water every single day as part of its efforts to reduce on leaks and burst mains in Bedfordshire.

The water company said the schemes will drive leakage down further than ever before by managing the underground pipe network differently.

By varying the pressure in its pipe network the innovative schemes will cut the number of bursts by a quarter, reduce other leaks by as much as 60 per cent, and in total save more than one million litres of water every day.

Between the two schemes, around 20,000 homes and businesses in Harlington and Bedford town centre will benefit from fewer bursts and leaks.

New pressure control valves will be installed at Harlington and Sharpenhoe to allow Anglian Water to make very small changes to the network and prevent pressure building up in the pipes when fewer people are using water. Together they will create a pressure managed zone covering the northern half of Harlington village.

A second, separate scheme in Bedford town centre will start at the end of February and protect around 20,000 homes and businesses.

Anglian  Water, which already has the best leakage record in the industry , will spend  £60 million by the end of this decade in its work to drive leakage down even further.

Andy Smith, Anglian Water’s regional manager for these innovative schemes, said:

“Customers regularly say that reducing leaks and bursts is the most important thing to them. We know they are inconvenient and frustrating and that is why we’re investing £60 million in our war on leakage, to drive levels down even further and keep us ahead of the rest of the industry. Achieving such ambitious targets requires us to take a new approach to managing our water network and the Bedfordshire schemes are examples of this new approach.”