United Utilities Selects Preferred Bidder for £2.5 Billion Tunnel Project
United Utilities has chosen STRABAG Equitix Consortium for a major tunnel project aimed at enhancing water supply in the north-west
United Utilities, Haweswater Aqueduct, STRABAG Equitix, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, UK
Manchester: So, United Utilities just announced their preferred bidder for a huge tunnel project. They’ve picked the STRABAG Equitix Consortium to take on the job of replacing six tunnel sections of the Haweswater Aqueduct.
This project is part of something called the Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme, or HARP for short. It runs from the Lake District all the way through Lancashire to Greater Manchester.
After a competitive bidding process, STRABAG Equitix came out on top. This consortium includes Equitix, which is linked to a company in Guernsey, and Strabag, based in Austria. They’re set to be what’s known as a competitively appointed provider.
Now, this project is no small change. It’s estimated to cost between £2.5 billion and £2.9 billion, making it one of the biggest water infrastructure projects in the north-west. The original aqueduct was built back in the 1950s, and now they’re replacing six sections along its 110-kilometer route.
The work will affect areas like Lancaster, Ribble Valley, Hyndburn, Rossendale, and Bury. Local councils have been working with United Utilities on planning applications for these areas. In Ribble Valley, they’ll even be working in the beautiful Forest of Bowland.
In Clitheroe, they might set up a marshalling area for workers and trucks before heading north. And in Rossendale and Bury, places like Rawtenstall and Haslingden are on the list for upgrades.
They’re using a new approach called ‘direct procurement for customers’ to deliver this project, which is a first for the UK water sector. It’s all about getting the best value for customers.
They’re in the final stages of the procurement process, and they expect to award the contract in the first half of 2025, pending approval from the UK water regulator, Ofwat.
Neil Gillespie from United Utilities said this is a big step forward in ensuring a reliable water supply for the north-west. It’s been a lot of hard work, and they’re excited to have their preferred bidder in place.
Overall, this new model aims to deliver major water projects through third-party providers, and it looks like HARP will be a key example of that in the north-west.
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