Water group appoints experts ahead of proposed environmental programme
North West water and wastewater group, United Utilities, has selected three design and development partners (DDPs) in preparation for its largest environmental programme in the North West in more than a century, if its business plan is approved by the water regulator.
It comes two days after the Warrington-based utility giant was told by regulator, Ofwat, that it is being investigated over the release of sewage into the region’s waterways and seas.
The probe is part of an industry-wide investigation into how water companies manage their wastewater assets.
Today (July 18) United Utilities said it has chosen AtkinsRéalis, Mott MacDonald and Stantec following a competitive tender process to assist in delivering its environmental programme.
The partners will take concepts put forward by United Utilities’ strategic solutions team to create detailed designs for schemes across its water and wastewater sites as well as bio resource and rainwater management projects.
The three partners will develop scalable, repeatable, and future-proof designs to work at speed, with the aim of improving efficiency of delivery and reducing operation and maintenance risk in the future.
It comes after United Utilities recently announced seven partners who will help to deliver its major infrastructure projects and 18 detailed design and build partners.
The company has submitted a £13.7bn investment plan for the latest 2025-2030 regulatory period to Ofwat that it said would deliver cleaner rivers, more reliable water supplies and improvements to services for customers, communities and the environment.
Ofwat’s final determination of the business plan will be published in December 2024.
Announcing the latest three appointments, Jane Simpson, Capital Delivery Director for United Utilities, said: “We’ll benefit from their expertise in developing and delivering world-class solutions to allow us to deliver the transformation to our infrastructure that we know our customers want to see.”
