A new pipeline will link water supplies from Grafham to Cambridge to meet the immediate, critical need for water in the UK’s fastest-growing city*.

Anglian Water and Cambridge Water have launched their first public consultation from 27 October to 21 December 2025 for a proposed new “interconnector” pipeline, responding to rapid growth and the impacts of climate change to safeguard water supplies in Cambridge for future generations.

The 28km Grafham to Cambridge interconnector is the first step in AMP8 of Anglian Water’s multi-billion-pound investment into providing much-needed water to support this level of growth in the driest region of England. Eventually, it will join the company’s new reservoirs and desalination plants to provide resilient water supplies for the East of England.

For this particular project, the interconnector will form part of a strategic 70-kilometre pipeline that will transfer water from Anglian Water’s network in Grafham to Cambridge Water. Future phases include a branch of pipeline, known as a spur, to feed the City of Cambridge, as well as an extension into Suffolk. 

Ian Rule, Director of Water Services at Anglian Water, said: “After the driest spring and summer since 1976, we’re seeing the harsh impacts of climate change on our region first-hand. In addition, the East of England is one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, with 720,000 new residents expected by 2043. We’re acting now to ensure that, together with Cambridge Water, we can supply our region with clean, reliable water and strengthen local resilience to reduce the number of homes and businesses that rely on a single water source.”

As part of the proposal for the Grafham to Cambridge interconnector, the water companies are jointly committed to working closely with communities along the route to ensure views are heard before a formal planning application is submitted. As such, they are hosting a series of consultation events to provide tailored information, including detailed maps, timelines and FAQs, and a chance to speak directly with the experienced project team.

The Anglian Water side of the project will be delivered by the Strategic Pipeline Alliance (SPA), comprising leading partners Costain, Farrans, Jacobs, and Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB), alongside Cambridge Water.

Caroline Cooper, Strategy and Regulation Director at Cambridge Water, said: “This project has the potential to deliver 26 million litres of water into our region every day. This much-needed interconnector will help us unlock a more sustainable future and ensure we continue to deliver a reliable water supply to our customers, enable the area’s growth ambition, relieve the pressure of abstraction on our underground aquifers, and retain more water for the environment and our local chalk streams.”

Andy Alder, MD Major Infrastructure Delivery at Anglian Water, said: “This is a pivotal project for our AMP8 infrastructure delivery in securing the supply of water in Cambridge, but it must be delivered in the right way. That includes ensuring that residents along the route have an opportunity to learn about the work we’re proposing and share their views during the planning process. We welcome contributions and feedback.

“As well as our communities, our environment is at the forefront of this project, too. We have already undertaken ecological surveys and adapted our plans to protect the wildlife along the route. Importantly, we’re making plans to move water using a new interconnecting pipeline to reduce the amount of water we need to take from the environment to supply customers' taps in Cambridgeshire.”

The consultation comes alongside Anglian Water and Cambridge Water’s third phase of consultation for a new reservoir in the Cambridgeshire Fens – the long-term vision for securing water supplies in this part of our region - running from 15 October to 10 December 2025.

For more information on the strategic interconnector, visit: Grafham to Cambridge Pipeline

*Cambridge Is The Fastest-growing City Economy – Beavis Morgan