Anglian Water is to invest over £500,000 in the Hunstanton area to protect the local environment, prevent flooding, and improve the health of beaches and bathing waters.

The programme, which is due to begin at the end of September, includes work to reline sewers across Thornham and Holme-next-the-Sea, as well as investment to reduce the use of the storm overflow (also known as a CSO) at Hunstanton beach.

Engineers will reline nearly 800m of sewer pipes across Thornham and Holme-next-the-Sea, improving the sewer network’s resilience and preventing flooding.


When a sewer pipe gets old there is an increased risk of bursts and leaks causing potential pollution and interruption to customers’ sewerage services. Sewers need maintenance to keep them flowing and ensure pollution doesn’t find its way into the environment. This relining will prolong the pipe’s life and prevent groundwater infiltration, which can overwhelm the sewer and cause flooding and pollution.

The final stage of the project, which is expected to finish by the end of October, will see the team replace the storm overflow screen at Anglian Water’s Smugglers Lane pumping station in Hunstanton, as well as installing new level monitors. Storm overflows work by releasing excess storm water during extreme weather, to prevent sewers backing up into people's homes. This screen will provide a physical barrier on the storm overflow in Hunstanton, preventing any solid material from leaving the network during extreme weather. This will protect the bathing water quality at Hunstanton beach by preventing pollution, as well as protecting the local area from flooding.