Water Plant Funds Dry Up Amid Cost Surge

Plans for a new water treatment facility near Milton, part of the extensive Hartree development, have hit a major funding roadblock. The project, aimed at replacing an older facility, faced escalating costs that have reportedly surged by 250%, making the original £575m government grant request unviable. Despite approximately £80m already invested by various stakeholders, including local councils and developers, further financial commitments are in doubt. Ministers are actively reviewing the situation and engaging with Anglian Water.

The chief executive of Anglian Water has indicated that investing more in the new plant is not a priority for the company. This stance was communicated to government officials who urged for increased private funding, highlighting potential upgrades and cost efficiencies. The water company's position is reportedly tied to its ability to secure approval from the water regulator, Ofwat, for customer charge increases to fund such investments, which they argue would not directly improve their service.