Rebuilding
our nation's
water networks

£100bn

investment between 2025 and 2030

30,000

new jobs to be created between 2025 and 2030

new reservoirs approved

A big investment

The BIG Upgrade is the largest investment in our national water infrastructure for generations. Our projects span the length and breadth of the nation, upgrading, expanding and future-proofing the systems that keep water flowing to and from more than 25 million homes and businesses across the country.

View regional projects

Why do we need The Big Upgrade?

Water is fundamental to daily life, but as our climate changes and demand grows, the way we manage water must change. This means we need to build new infrastructure, as well as upgrade what exists. The scale of the challenge is big – huge, in fact. But the opportunity is even bigger. By working together, we can make a big difference for customers now, and for generations to come.

Population growth

The number of people in our country alone is growing by around 700,000 a year. That puts a huge strain on both our resources and our networks. By 2050, an additional 5 billion litres of water per day will be needed.

Climate change

Climate change is real, and for us it means hotter, drier summers and colder winter temperatures. This puts extra pressure on water supplies in the summer and damages pipes in the winter.