Layer Slow Sand Filter Floors - Phase 3

Essex & Suffolk Water is planning ahead to make sure there’s enough water for everyone — now and in the future. Our forecasts show that, over the next 25 years and beyond, demand for water will outstrip supply, especially as droughts become more frequent and severe.

To tackle this, we’ve developed a Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP). This plan outlines a range of infrastructure projects to help us continue delivering clean, safe drinking water — even during the most extreme droughts.

We consulted widely on the draft plan in 2022 and 2023, and your feedback helped shape the final version, which was approved by Defra in 2024. You can read the full WRMP here: www.nwg.co.uk/wrmp

What’s happening at Layer?

As part of our long-term plan, we’re proposing to sustain and make robust the quantity of water our water treatment works (WTW) can reliably supply and improve the resilience of the wider network. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to:

• Renew contents of slow sand filters, including GAC (granular activated carbon) layer for pesticide mitigation
• Conduct essential structural repairs to filters whilst they are void of contents

Start Date: November 2025

Estimated End Date: March 2026

Partners: Chemviron and Anglian Land Drainage

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