A rare moth in Norfolk, which was previously thought to be extinct, was found during a sewer upgrade. Anglian Water were recently renovating water pipes that covered more than a mile in a project that was expected to last several months. However, since the rare moth, known as the Orange Conch, has been found the route has changed during ecological surveys of the area. The surveys concluded that the route needed to be altered to ensure the Orange Couch Moth’s habitat is not disturbed.
Anglian Water spokesman David Hartley said: “We take our role in the environment very seriously, and although we are investing millions of pounds into the area, it’s imperative that we do so with the environment in mind.”
The Orange Conch is still found quite frequently in parts of southern England but hadn’t been found in Norfolk for a long time and was thought to be extinct in that area. Ecologists warned there was a risk of ‘major impact’ to the species if the pipeline was to continue on the route as initially planned. As well as changing the route of the pipeline, it has also planned to change some of the method of construction in order to further reduce the environmental impact of the project.