BARHALE

Barhale has entered into a joint venture with design engineering consultancy WSP to secure a place on the Sewerage Networks framework.  It is expected to be worth between £60 and £65 million to the joint venture over the next five years. There is also an option for a further five years extension to the contract.

Northern Region Business Unit Manager Matthew Burke said: “We are delighted to have been appointed on this major contract with such a significant client – and in a new region of the country for Barhale. We are looking forward to helping Yorkshire Water to achieve its corporate aim of becoming clearly the best service provider in the UK.”

Preparatory work on the contract will start in the new year with work starting formally inApril.  Barhale WSP responsibilities will be to help to improve Yorkshire Water’s asset network and its ability to meet regulatory requirements.  This includes reducing the amount of property flooding and UIDs across the region.

The contract is part of Yorkshire Water’s £1.9 billion programme over the next five years to upgrade its water and sewerage network, with a focus on tackling the issues identified as top priorities by customers.

Yorkshire Water has a five-point plan to enable it to become the best service provider in the UK over the next 25 years.  This is to provide a customer service experience second to none, have a strong environmental focus, provide the lowest possible prices to customers, give attractive returns for investors, and create world-class asset management with great people.

Matthew Burke said: “The Barhale WSP team will be based at a joint office which Yorkshire Water is creating for all its partners to help bring about innovation in design and delivery.  Our experience of working in alliance in other parts of the country will be a valuable part of this new approach.

“It has been avery robust procurement process over the past 12 months, with all the major water industry contractors bidding for the work.  We are delighted to have been successful.“

Peter Marchant, who will head up the new Barhale team, said: “We are looking forward to working with Yorkshire Water in the new year.”