Lincolnshire pipeline work delayed - Anglian Water

The pipeline is part of a £500m scheme to move water from the north of the county to drier southern areas.

Work on a 205-mile (330-km) pipeline designed to tackle water shortages has been delayed.

Anglian Water’s £500m pipe will run through Lincoln, carrying 55 million litres (12 million gallons) of water a day.

The utility company blamed the Covid-19 pandemic, "unprecedented" weather conditions and supply issues related to the war in Ukraine for the delay.

The supplier said they would inform parish councils and affected landowners in August about when the work would resume.

Paula De Vries, who lives near to one site, has not seen any work being done for months

Ms De Vries, 59, lives in Greetwell, near Lincoln, where pipes are stacked in a field next to Wragby Road East.

She said: "I have not seen anyone there for around eight to nine months."

According to Ms De Vries, people living near to the site are left wondering why the work is delayed.

The pipeline – longer than the M1 motorway – would move water from the north of Anglian Water's patch, where it is more plentiful, to the south.

Anglian Water says "exceptional circumstances" are to blame for the delay

In a statement, Anglian Water also cited labour shortages and rising inflation as reasons for the delay.

However, the company was adamant the project would be completed, adding it would "rephrase" some of the planned work.

“We have communicated this with the parish councils and affected landowners and will release an updated timetable next month,” it said.

In August last year, Anglian Water said it expected the pipeline - announced in 2019 - would be completed by the end of 2025.

Follow BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail]