A new water reservoir in Lincolnshire that will serve the Lincoln area was officially switched on in order to start filling up.
Work on the £44 million reservoir and treatment works near Newark began last year and aims to serve the growing population in the city.
On Thursday, August 22, Anglian Water switched on the pumps to begin the three-month filling period of the reservoir.
Demand for water in Lincoln and Branston is expected to increase from five million litres a day to 20 million in the next couple of decades.
The project will provide enough water for this prediction, meaning there will be no disruptions to residents’ supply and relieve the pressure on the current Newton-on-Trent system.
Steve Swan, Anglian Water’s Special Projects Manager said: “This new reservoir and treatment works is our solution to keep Lincoln’s taps running in the face of an expanding population.
“The pumps are now taking water from the River Trent to be stored in the reservoir before it’s treated.
“The reservoir can hold as much water as 100 Olympic-sized swimming pools and will feed the new works which will be able to supply 20 million litres of treated water a day once it’s operational in summer 2014.”
The new pumping station is alongside the River Trent, filling into a 20-acre storage reservoir.
Anglian Water chose to build in the area near the A1133 due to the sloping landscape to help move the water from the reservoir.
The treatment works is also above the level of potential flooding and connects to the existing Newton-on-Trent Water Treatment Works.
Steve Swan added: “As well as securing Lincoln’s water supplies, the new treatment works has boosted the local economy with construction jobs during the build.”