Summary of construction timescales

Phase of work

Types of activity

Approximate 
timetable 

Engaging with customers and stakeholders 
about the preferred route

Sharing the route, listening to feedback

February/March 
2022 

Environmental investigations

Archaeological surveys and ecological monitoring

Ongoing until 
autumn 2022 

Ground investigations and archaeological 
trial pits

Digging trenches and boreholes to understand conditions below the surface

Ongoing until 
summer 2022

Submission of planning application and 
Environmental Impact Assessment

Ongoing discussions with planning authorities

Summer 2022 

Enabling works (works needed prior to the 
start of construction)

Providing ecological protection for protected species such as badgers 

Limited vegetation removal, including some hedgerows to aid access 

Winter 2023 

Construction

Site compounds set-up 

Cutting open trenches, laying pipes and backfilling (refilling of soil once the 
pipe has been installed) 

Trenchless pipelaying (when pipes are pushed through the ground) 

Construction of pumping stations at Elsham, Welton and Waddington, and 
water storage tank and conditioning plant at Elsham

Temporary storage lagoons (to store water that is washed out of the pipeline 
during testing) 

Spring 2023 
until 2024

Commissioning (testing of the pipeline 
prior to becoming operational)

Cleaning the pipeline and connecting to network 

Late 2024 / early 
2025 

Reinstatement after installation (the land 
will be reinstated to its original state where 
we can and with additional improvements 
in some areas)

Replacement of topsoil, restoration of access routes and reinstatement of 
road surfaces, drainage and vegetation 

Starting in 2023 
and continuing until 
summer 2024