Construction for new water treatment facility near Luton to be finished next month
People living in Luton, Houghton Regis and Dunstable will soon have their water treated in a new facility being built in Sundon, Affinity Water has said.
The water company has announced that a new water treatment facility in the parish north of Luton is to be completed in June, with the move “protecting the unique habitats of chalk streams in the region”.
Affinity Water’s supply area is home to ten per cent of the world’s rarest chalk streams.
Affinity Water said: “By bringing in more water from outside the area, specifically from Anglian Water's Grafham Water reservoir, Affinity Water aims to minimise the ecological impact on chalk streams and their diverse wildlife populations.
Ben Hayward, head of capital delivery at Affinity Water, said: "The implementation of the new water treatment facility represents a significant step
forward in our commitment to environmental conservation and sustainable water management.”
"We are dedicated to ending unsustainable abstraction from chalk groundwater sources in the Chilterns and beyond.”
Construction on the water treatment facility started in October 2022 and is due to be completed by June 2024, with reductions in local groundwater abstraction planned from December 2024.
The water supply zones affected include: Luton North, Offley/Kimpton, Luton Stopsley, Luton Park Town, Knebworth/Tewin, Hatfield/Potters Bar, Harlow/Hadham, Epping/Ongar, Ware, Hertford, Welwyn Garden City, Dunstable, and Luton West / Houghton Regis.
Affinity Water says it has informed its relevant customers about an upcoming online session, giving them an opportunity to share their views and get more information about the project from their experts.
Around £15 million has been invested in this initiative, as the company focuses on “reducing groundwater abstraction and promoting environmental conservation”.