Water is one of our most valuable resources—essential for daily life, public health and the natural environment. Yet the UK’s water supply is under increasing pressure. Population growth is driving demand, climate change is making droughts more frequent and fragile ecosystems like chalk streams need protection. Without action, water shortages could become a reality in some regions. 

To tackle this challenge, water companies must think differently about how water is managed and distributed. The Grand Union Canal Transfer Project is a pioneering example of this. A collaboration between Affinity Water, Severn Trent and the Canal & River Trust, the scheme will use the country’s historic canal network to transfer recycled water from the Midlands to the Southeast—one of the UK’s most water-stressed areas.  

By repurposing the existing canal network, the project reduces the need for major new construction, keeping disruption to a minimum. Along its route, it will also help restore natural habitats, create more green spaces for people to enjoy and support local businesses that rely on the canal. 

What is the Grand Union Canal Transfer – and what is AECOM’s role? 

“Britain’s canal network was built hundreds of years ago as the freight arteries that fuelled the industrial revolution,” Peter Walker, Head of Strategic Infrastructure Projects, Canal & River Trust, explains. 

“Still used and navigated by boats today, canals have also been repurposed to serve modern society … The Grand Union Canal Transfer will invest in the network ensuring it can move water for domestic supply alongside its day-to-day role for navigation and thereby helping to play a vital part in meeting one of the major challenges faced by society today.”  

The project will transfer recycled water from a wastewater recycling facility in Birmingham. From there, it will flow via a new pipeline into the Coventry Canal at Atherstone, before beginning a 120-kilometre journey along the Oxford and Grand Union Canals.  

Existing canal infrastructure will be upgraded with pumps and pipes to assist the water on its journey, before it reaches a new water treatment works near Leighton Buzzard, where it will be treated and added to Affinity Water’s supply network.  

Our role is to ensure that communities, businesses and stakeholders are informed and engaged throughout the project. Our stakeholder engagement, consultation and communications team is delivering a full-service communications programme to support the project’s Development Consent Order (DCO) application, which is a necessary step for nationally significant infrastructure projects in the UK.  

Working collaboratively with the partner organisations, our team shaped the brand and messaging for the project and is delivering an extensive programme of engagement along the route. 

How will the Grand Union Canal Transfer benefit communities and the environment? 

Currently in its early stages, the project is focused on ensuring that those who live, work and spend time along the canal have a say in its future.  

To achieve this, we are engaging residents, businesses and recreational users to gather feedback that will ultimately shape how the scheme is designed, built and maintained. This collaborative approach ensures the project will not only strengthen water supply resilience but also bring social and environmental benefits to the areas it passes through. 

These include: 

  • Futureproofing the drinking water supply: the scheme will protect the future drinking water supply and enhance canal facilities, creating accessible and enjoyable spaces for all. 
  • Enhancing biodiversity and protecting ecosystems: efforts to restore and protect habitats along the route will enrich biodiversity, contributing to the wider goal of leaving the environment in a better state. 
  • Improving the canal network: improvements to the canal network will ensure its resilience and safety, preserving its cultural and economic value for generations to come. 

Addressing the UK’s biggest water challenges 

While still in planning phase, the Grand Union Canal Transfer is already demonstrating how innovative, collaborative approaches can help address the UK’s long-term water challenges. 

By combining expertise from Affinity Water, Severn Trent and the Canal & River Trust, the scheme is set to strengthen water infrastructure in the Southeast while delivering lasting environmental and community benefits.  

If approved, the project has the potential to secure vital water supplies, support canal navigation and enhance biodiversity. By making use of existing infrastructure, it will help to create a sustainable water network, ensuring England’s historic waterways continue to thrive well into the future.