Canadian-headquartered consultancy giants appointed to UK’s largest water resource program

Thames Water, the UK’s largest water company, is rolling out its plan to secure water supplies for the future and has appointed the AtkinsRéalis Stantec Joint Venture to deliver on a number of solutions for its customers and stakeholders in the southeast of England. With offices around the world, both companies, which provide engineering, environmental consulting, professional services and project management, are headquartered in Canada.

The framework will give Thames Water access to professional support services worth up to £300 million across three separate joint venture consortia (including the AtkinsRéalis Stantec JV) as it works to advance a number of strategic projects. These include new pipelines to transfer supplies, a wastewater re-use scheme in London and the development of a new reservoir at Abingdon, Oxfordshire.

The framework represents a significant investment in water infrastructure, while also embedding sustainable solutions for the sector.

The AtkinsRéalis Stantec JV will provide a range of services to support the strategic resource options (SRO) projects as part of an initial three-year contract which can be extended up to eight years. As well as consulting and advisory, design, engineering and environmental services, the joint venture will also provide project management, planning and consenting, stakeholder management and consultation.

Ian L. Edwards, President and Chief Executive Officer, AtkinsRéalis commented:

“Faced with the global challenges of climate change and population growth, the supply of clean drinking water, and the development of new infrastructure to deliver it, is paramount for the water sector,” said “The plan from Thames Water amounts to the largest strategic water resources program in the UK, and will secure the water supplies for millions of customers and stakeholders in the south and southeast of England for generations to come. At the same time, it will deliver on sustainability improvements and nature-based projects that benefit the environment and create social value for communities, which aligns completely with our purpose of engineering a better future for the planet and its people.”

The measures outlined by Thames Water are designed to safeguard supplies and decrease water shortages during prolonged drought periods. The AtkinsRéalis Stantec JV will deploy a range of tools to support strategic water resource planning as well as environment-led design, and a clear and understandable digital system strategy for Thames Water. The joint venture will also be drawing on expertise from AtkinsRéalis’ Transportation division to develop the road and rail infrastructure necessary for Abingdon reservoir and other projects across the SRO portfolio.

Richard Robinson, President for UK & Ireland, AtkinsRéalis commented:

“Drawing on decades of experience working on environmentally sensitive projects ‒ including the design, planning and consenting for Abingdon Reservoir and Havant Thicket Reservoir in Hampshire ‒ and harnessing the latest digital technology, we look forward to continuing our relationship with Thames Water to deliver this critical water resource program alongside our joint venture partner Stantec.”