Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water (DCWW) has enlisted Arup, AtkinsRéalis, Mott MacDonald, and Stantec for its AMP8 framework.
- The consultancy services are valued at £160M over five years for AMP8, supporting crucial infrastructure development.
- This partnership aims to enhance DCWW’s environmental efforts and bolster water supply resilience against climate change impacts.
- The firms will focus on data gathering, analysis, solutions evaluation, and environmental assessments as part of their remit.
- DCWW is committed to a £3.5bn investment plan pending regulatory approval, focusing on sustainable and resilient water services.
Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water (DCWW) has strategically appointed four renowned engineering consultancies—Arup, AtkinsRéalis, Mott MacDonald, and Stantec—to bolster its upcoming eighth asset management period (AMP8) engaging between 2025 and 2030. This appointment follows the conclusion of DCWW’s existing capital delivery alliance at the end of AMP7. The new £160M framework aims to implement a ‘Capable Owner’ delivery model, which will enhance DCWW’s operational capabilities and ensure optimal decision-making for infrastructure projects.
The consultancy services within this framework will encompass extensive data gathering, root cause analysis, modelling, solution evaluation, environmental assessments, and feasibility studies. Each of the appointed firms will play a critical role, with contracts each worth up to £40M across the five-year span. This collaborative effort is aligned with DCWW’s draft plan to commit a record £3.5bn investment over the next regulatory cycle, which aims to secure between £300M to £350M in project work annually.
Andy Taylor, DCWW’s director of asset planning, highlighted the scale of this initiative, noting that it represents the largest investment in the company’s history with a focus on environmental enhancement and robust water supply services.
Illustrating the strength of their ongoing partnership, AtkinsRéalis remarked on its continued commitment to DCWW, building on two decades of collaboration. Jeremy Salisbury, framework director at AtkinsRéalis, expressed optimism about facing climate change challenges through strategic investment in water infrastructure.
Mott MacDonald’s managing director for UK and Europe, Richard Risdon, echoed similar sentiments by emphasizing their extensive experience in the UK water sector and their focus on delivering impactful digital and technical capabilities through this project. Furthermore, Stantec’s regional director, Scott Jackson, expressed enthusiasm about leveraging nature-based solutions and intelligent water networks to support local communities in Wales.
Additionally, a significant aspect of this collaboration is the emphasis on digital decarbonisation, particularly with Mott MacDonald’s separate agreement with DCWW. This partnership aims to reduce carbon emissions by 90% by 2030, using the Moata Carbon Portal for low-carbon design and regulatory compliance. DCWW’s head of engineering performance, Arwel Jones, underscored the importance of addressing climate change effects and praised the collaboration’s potential to build resilience.
The strategic framework with top engineering firms marks a pivotal step for DCWW’s environmental and infrastructural ambitions.
