United Utilities announces three design partners to help deliver record investment proposals

United Utilities has selected three leading design and development partners (DDPs) as it prepares to deliver the largest environmental programme in the North West in more than a century, if the company’s ambitious business plan is approved.  

The North West’s water company has chosen AtkinsRéalis, Mott MacDonald and Stantec following a competitive tender process.  

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 £13.7 billion investment plan for 2025-2030 to Ofwat that 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.    

The investment would support 30,000 jobs, including 7,000 new jobs across United Utilities and the wider supply chain, bringing investment in skills and opportunities to the heart of local communities and contributing £35billion of economic value across the region.    

Jane Simpson, Capital Delivery Director for United Utilities, said: “We’re delighted to have chosen three leading design and development partners for our ambitious investment plans.  

“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.”