It comes amid a heatwave and hosepipe ban being enforced
Rivenhall incinerator from the air(Image: Paul Thorogood)
Residents complaining about low water pressure due to the amount being consumed by a large incinerator are being “failed” – it has been claimed.
Essex County Council has admitted that the Rivenhall integrated waste management facility (IWMF) is straining the local water supply network after Anglian Water underestimated the capacity of its existing infrastructure.
Messages between Essex County Council’s planning department and Braintree Eastern county councillor Paul Thorogood have pinpointed the issue to Anglia Water – following reports from residents in Coggeshall, Kelvedon, Feering and Silver End of reduced water pressure.
A principal planning officer told him: “Anglian Water agreed a water supply contract to the Rivenhall IWMF. It seems that Anglia Water in assessing the capacity of the existing system to supply the contracted amount of water underestimated the existing infrastructure’s capacity. So, the supply that Anglian Water are contracted to supply to the IWMF has created a strain on the existing infrastructure, hence why Anglian Water are looking at what improvements can be made to improve the supply infrastructure.”
They added: “As explained the strain that the IWMF has placed on the existing water infrastructure is not a matter that the Waste Planning Authority can take any action over. It is my understanding that Anglian Water are looking to see what improvements in the infrastructure can be achieved.”
The issue has surfaced amid a prolonged heatwave. With temperatures exceeding 30 degrees and significant peak in demands for water some water companies – including Anglia Water – have implemented hosepipe bans.
The Rivenhall facility is designed to process up to 595,000 tonnes of non-recyclable household and commercial waste a year generating enough electricity to power around 125,700 homes.
Essex County Council – as the waste planning authority -has committed to send all its residual waste – amounting to around 337,000 tonnes of rubbish – to incineration in a £1 billion deal with the waste company Indaver.
Fellow Braintree District councillor James Abbott has blamed the way the incinerator was allowed to proceed under permissions from Essex County Council’s planning committee and the Environment Agency – especially given Essex’s position as one of the driest areas of the country.
He said: “For Essex County Council to say nothing to see here, Guv, it’s not us, is ridiculous. They are the planning authority. They have a duty, along with the Environment Agency, to make sure these major industrial facilities do not harm the environment and do not have impacts on communities. It’s what the planning system is there for. And on the face of it, from what we’ve seen so far, they have failed.”
He said: “Even the Met office who are usually quite conservative say we are looking at 40°C summers in not many decades time. The evaporation rates you get from those types of temperatures is extraordinary.
“So you’re drying out the land, peoples’ consumption increases and then you put these enormous industrial facilities in the middle of the driest county. It’s a car crash waiting to happen.”
Separately to the Rivenhall IWMF, the Rivenhall Greenhouse project was approved by the county council in April 2026.
A report presented to the council’s development and regulation committee set out the consideration of water supply. The council says the project will be largely self-sufficient by capturing rainwater in lagoons. It will also be able to use existing winter water abstraction if necessary.
A spokesperson for Essex County Council said: “Anglian Water is responsible for water supply in the region and has a contract with the Rivenhall Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF). This facility was originally granted planning permission by the Secretary of State in 2010.
“We have raised the issue of water supply with Anglian Water and understand they are investigating their water network.
“While there isn’t scope for Essex County Council as Waste Planning Authority to intervene, we will continue to engage with Anglian Water and Indaver, the owner of the facility, in the interest of local residents.”
A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: “The facility has now concluded its commissioning phase and is fully operational. We continue to regulate the site and monitor compliance with the conditions set out in the environmental permit.”
Indaver says they have no comment to make at this time. Anglia Water have been asked for comment.