Lincolnshire water pipeline planned to tackle shortages

The pipeline would move water from North Lincolnshire to the south of the county where rainfall is more scarce

A water firm has submitted plans to build a 35-mile (56km) pipeline through Lincolnshire to help tackle future water shortages.

Anglian Water's proposed pipe from Elsham to Waddington would be able to carry 55 million litres of water a day.

It is part of a major scheme to move water from the north of the county to the drier southern areas.

It comes as vegetable farmers in the county's south say this year's crop has been hit by a lack of rain.

Potato farmer Andrew Branton said: "There's no way crops in the UK can cope with the sort of climate we've had this year."

'Huge challenge'

He said the problem was being replicated in the east of England where the majority of the UK's potatoes were grown.

Anglian Water said the east of country, in particular, faced a huge challenge with a growing population and drier weather.

In 2011, a drought was declared in Lincolnshire with restrictions imposed on water usage.

Construction of the new underground pipeline would mean fewer homes and businesses rely on a single source of water, the company said.

Planning applications are being submitted to the four local authorities the pipeline would cross - City of Lincoln, West Lindsey, North Kesteven and North Lincolnshire.

If approved, initial works are planned for this winter or early 2023 with full construction due for completion by 2025, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The company has already started work on other interconnecting pipelines, which form part of what it has described as "one of the largest infrastructure projects in the UK".

It said the £400m scheme will "help secure water supplies for future generations" and once complete "will be longer than any UK motorway".