United Utilities names 30 suppliers for AMP8 minor works

Water company United Utilities has prequalified 30 construction firms to undertake minor works for it over the next five years.

Water companies in England and Wales are waiting for approval from the regulator Ofwat for their spending plans in asset management period eight (AMP8), which runs from April 2025 to the end of March 2030.

United Utilities is planning its largest investment to date in the northwest’s water and wastewater infrastructure, including at least £500m through its new minor works framework.

For this framework it has selected 20 civil engineering contractors and 10 mechanical & electrical specialists.

The civil engineers contractors are:

• Askam Civil Engineering
• BDB Special Projects
• Cheetham Hill Construction
• Cubby Construction
• GDB Civils & Utilities
• Kaberry Construction
• Mackenzie Construction
• Morrison Water Services
• MPH Construction
• Onsite Central
• P Casey (Land Reclamation)
• Pioneer Civil Engineering
• RH Irving Construction
• Sapphire Utility Solutions
• SGC Civil Engineering
• Story Contracting
• Terra Solutions
• Trenchless Solutions
• VJ Donegan
• Westshield.

The mechanical & electrical contractors are:

• Afeco
• Bethell Construction
• Bridges Electrical
• CHG Electrical
• Eric Wright Water
• Haywood & Jackson
• RSE Ross-Shire
• Water Engineering Services
• WH Good
• Z-Tech Control Systems.

These companies will work on schemes such as improving process treatment facilities, installing storm overflow solutions and supporting United Utilities’ ‘better rivers’ programme.

Jane Simpson, capital delivery director at United Utilities, said: “Our plan to leave a legacy in the northwest goes beyond developing infrastructure – we also want to grow businesses, harness the skills and knowledge of local people, and provide career opportunities to make the region stronger, greener and healthier.

“Our latest partnership is a huge step towards making this happen, and I’m incredibly pleased to have companies with local bases on board; bringing with them a wealth of regional experience to help us deliver quickly for customers in each of our five counties.

“We’ll work collaboratively with these partners with a shared vision for the North West, which includes setting up apprenticeships and skills academies as part of our long-term growth plans.”

The selection of 30 companies for its minor works framework brings to 72 the total number of suppliers that United Utilities has selected for the AMP8 period.

As previously reported, seven companies have been selected for a £3bn framework for project management, design, engineering and construction services for major projects. These are C2V (VolkerStevin/Jacobs), Costain, Jacobs, Murphy, Kier, Mott Macdonald Bentley and MWH Treatment.

Then there are 18 design and build contractors in a separate framework. AE Yates, Barhale, Bethell, Eric Wright Civils, Forkers, Murphy, Network Plus, Sapphire, United Living and Ward & Burke will be working on projects to improve network infrastructure.  Avove, BWGM (Binnies and WGM JV), Eric Wright Water, Ross-Shire, Glanua, Lagan Infrastructure, Mott MacDonald Bentley and Stonbury will be working on projects to improve process treatment facilities. 

Additionally, AtkinsRéalis, Mott MacDonald and Stantec have been chosen as design and development partners.

AtkinsRéalis, Jacobs, Stantec, Binnies, Mott MacDonald, RPS, and WSP have been appointed to deliver modelling support for water and wastewater infrastructure.  Aqua Consultants, GHD, Long O'Donnell Associates, Metis Consultants, Ove Arup & Partners and Systra are specialist design development partners.