Anglian Water has finished work on a £1 million upgrade at its Water Recycling Centre (WRC) in Latchingdon, which will help protect local rivers and improve water quality for years to come.

Anglian Water’s @one Alliance has finished work at the Water Recycling Centre (WRC) off Maldon Road in Latchingdon, near Chelmsford, in line with new Environment Agency regulations.

The upgrade will make sure that the water entering nearby watercourses from the WRC is cleaner than ever before, with long-term benefits for the local environment.

The project included installing more specialist equipment and building a storm water tank to hold excess water during heavy rainfall until it can be treated and returned safely back into the environment.

The site is now able to capture 690,000 litres of storm water - the equivalent of over 8,500 baths - to protect the environment during heavy rainfall. By expanding the system's ability to manage heavy rain and storm events, it means the risk of untreated wastewater spills has been reduced, offering greater protection to nearby watercourses.

The upgrades were also essential to make sure the system can cope with the demands of the growing population.

Sarah Lovitt, Customer Co-Ordinator for the project said:

“We know how much our customers care about the local rivers and environment. This project in Latchingdon will help protect these precious resources by reducing the risk of pollution and flooding.

“But our work won’t stop here – as part of our next business plan, worth over £9bn, our proposals will see us double our environmental investment, making it our largest programme ever.”

The water company’s business plan for 2025-2030 is awaiting final sign off by the water regulator Ofwat later this year.

The project has been completed by Anglian Water’s @one Alliance - the seven partner organisations that make up the alliance deliver complex engineering and construction projects across the Anglian Water region.