United Utilities has announced a new partnership with seven leading engineering and infrastructure businesses who will help deliver the largest investment in water and wastewater infrastructure in the North West in more than a century, if the company’s ambitious business plan is approved.
The company has submitted a £13.7 billion investment plan for 2025-2030 to economic regulator Ofwat, with the aim of delivering cleaner rivers, more reliable water supplies and improvements to services for customers, communities and the environment.
United Utilities says the investment would support 30,000 jobs, including 7,000 new jobs within the company and wider supply chain, bringing investment in skills and opportunities to the heart of local communities and contribute £35 billion of economic value across the region.
Following a competitive tender process, those selected to work alongside United Utilities are C2V, (a VolkerStevin / Jacobs joint venture), Costain, Jacobs, Murphy, Kier Integrated Services, Mott Macdonald Bentley, and MWH Treatment. The water company said that bringing together skills and capabilities from across the UK and Europe allows the company to access the best use of expertise and innovation to work collaboratively and at pace to deliver real transformation for customers and the environment in the North West.
The partnership would be responsible for over £3bn of major infrastructure in the region including upgrades to wastewater treatment works and reducing storm overflow activations by delivering the largest spill reduction programme in the UK, protecting more than 500km of rivers and bathing waters.
The partnership has committed to investment in the North West and will look to create a lasting legacy. As well as using large suppliers, the company is keen to tap into the local supply chain and will be announcing further appointments of more delivery partners in the coming months. This forms part of United Utilities’ strategy to support local businesses across the region.
Jane Simpson, Capital Delivery Director at United Utilities, said:
“We’re really excited that we have secured some strong delivery partners to ensure we can deliver on our ambitious plans to transform infrastructure and services in the North West.
“It will be our most ambitious programme yet and by putting this partnership in place with some of the best design and construction companies in the country, it allows us to get to work quickly and deliver the transformation that we know our customers want to see.”
