Anglian Water / @One Alliance
Everton Wetland Creation, Everton, Bedfordshire
May - Sept 2025
Environmental and Civils Project
Project background and aims:
Anglian Water is constructing a wetland at the Everton Water Recycling Centre in Bedfordshire to naturally filter wastewater, specifically to remove phosphorus and iron. This project is the first of Anglian Water’s new wetland program, which uses natural processes to clean water and improve local biodiversity. The wetland is also designed to be a nature reserve and a space for the public to enjoy.
- Purpose: The primary purpose is to use natural filtration to remove phosphorus and iron from wastewater, reducing the need for chemical dosing.
- Location: It is located near the Everton Water Recycling Centre in Sandy, Bedfordshire.
- Construction: The project involves creating three separate cells covering approximately 18,000 square meters and planting over 100,000 native plants like irises, sedges, and watercress.
- Environmental benefits:
- Cleans water before it is returned to the environment.
- Creates a new habitat for wildlife, pollinators, and birds.
- Reduces Anglian Water’s carbon footprint by using gravity rather than electrically driven pumps.
- Public access: The wetland is expected to open to local residents for recreational use, such as walking, once completed.
This is the first of 20 new manmade treatment wetlands to clean the water through an entirely natural process which improves the water quality and removes excess phosphates and ammonia. When completed, the wetlands will have an abundance of plant species such as irises, sedges and watercress that naturally filter the water.
In addition to fulfilling its primary function as a water treatment facility, the wetland will also will be a place for people to walk around and enjoy. It is expected that the wetland will be open to local residents early in the new year.
Scope of work carried out:
Construction of new wetland area over a site which is several hectares in size. Wetland built up of individual ‘cells’ or ponds – which are constructed on a tiered basis – allowing water to slowly filter through each pond with the plantlife present in each of the ponds ‘polishing the water’ to improve water quality before the water then exits the wetland and flows into water courses and ultimately the rivers network.
Challenges or considerations:
A pioneering project – being the first of it’s kind done directly for @One Alliance. Designed to provide an alternative to hard engineering solutions – which frequently involve expensive chemical dosing. This project is hugely significant with regard to the goals of all water companies to reduce the possibility of poor quality water discharging into river systems.
Outcome and results:
Project was built on time and to budget with Anglian Water with the wetland being successfully planted after the construction works finished.
Project Feedback
William Morfoot played a key role in delivering Anglian Water’s first treatment wetland at Everton, Cambs. The project was completed on time, to budget, and with a clear commitment to safety and compliance throughout. Their professionalism and collaborative approach make them a contractor I would strongly recommend.”
Adriano Staffieri
Project Delivery Manager (Anglian Water @one Alliance)
Their Words, Our Work
As part of this project, the One Alliance has begun sharing updates on its most ambitious AMP8 Water Recycling programme to date. The first instalment focuses on the wetlands work at Everton — a site where our team has played a key role in delivering practical, future-ready solutions alongside Anglian Water Services and partner organisations.
To give further context to the scale and direction of the wider programme, we have included their recent update below. It outlines how the wetlands programme fits into a long-term plan to build more sustainable and resilient water infrastructure across the East of England, with more insights to follow on storm tanks, phosphorus removal and UMON4.
