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05 December 2025
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Dec 05, 2025Underground Infrasturcture
GRAND CANYON, Ariz. (UI) — Grand Canyon National Park will temporarily suspend overnight lodging on the South Rim beginning Dec. 6 due to major breaks in the park’s aging 12.5-mile Transcanyon Waterline — a critical underground system that delivers water from the inner canyon to the South Rim.
The National Park Service (NPS) said water is currently not being pumped to the South Rim, prompting new restrictions on lodging and camping until repairs are made. While the park remains open for day use, all overnight accommodations inside the park — including Xanterra-operated hotels such as El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge and Maswik Lodge, as well as Delaware North’s Yavapai Lodge and Trailer Village — will close temporarily. Hotels in nearby Tusayan will not be affected.
Dry camping will be permitted at Mather Campground, though spigot access will be turned off. Faucets in bathrooms and at the check-in kiosk will remain available. The park has also prohibited all wood and charcoal fires, including campfires and barbeques.
The waterline failure underscores ongoing infrastructure challenges in one of the nation’s most visited parks. Originally constructed in the 1960s, the Transcanyon Waterline has far exceeded its intended lifespan, requiring frequent and costly repairs.
In 2023, NPS launched a $208 million rehabilitation project to replace the failing system and upgrade the park’s broader water delivery network — an effort aimed at securing reliable water service for 5 million annual visitors and 2,500 year-round residents. The project is expected to be completed in 2027.
“These measures are crucial for ensuring the safety and sustainability of water resources,” NPS said in a statement. “The goal is to restore full operational status for overnight guests on the South Rim as quickly as possible.”
South Rim residents are being urged to conserve water by limiting showers, minimizing laundry loads, and reporting any leaks. Hikers are also advised to carry sufficient water or treatment methods when venturing into the backcountry.
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Waterline Breaks Force Overnight Closure At Grand Canyon; $208 Million Replacement Project UnderwayGRAND CANYON, Ariz. (UI) — Grand Canyon National Park will temporarily suspend overnight lodging on the South Rim beginning Dec. 6 due to major breaks in the park’s aging 12.5-mile Transcanyon Waterline — a critical underground system that delivers water from the inner canyon to the South Rim.
The National Park Service (NPS) said water is currently not being pumped to the South Rim, prompting new restrictions on lodging and camping until repairs are made. While the park remains open for day use, all overnight accommodations inside the park — including Xanterra-operated hotels such as El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge and Maswik Lodge, as well as Delaware North’s Yavapai Lodge and Trailer Village — will close temporarily. Hotels in nearby Tusayan will not be affected.
Dry camping will be permitted at Mather Campground, though spigot access will be turned off. Faucets in bathrooms and at the check-in kiosk will remain available. The park has also prohibited all wood and charcoal fires, including campfires and barbeques.
The waterline failure underscores ongoing infrastructure challenges in one of the nation’s most visited parks. Originally constructed in the 1960s, the Transcanyon Waterline has far exceeded its intended lifespan, requiring frequent and costly repairs.
In 2023, NPS launched a $208 million rehabilitation project to replace the failing system and upgrade the park’s broader water delivery network — an effort aimed at securing reliable water service for 5 million annual visitors and 2,500 year-round residents. The project is expected to be completed in 2027.
“These measures are crucial for ensuring the safety and sustainability of water resources,” NPS said in a statement. “The goal is to restore full operational status for overnight guests on the South Rim as quickly as possible.”
South Rim residents are being urged to conserve water by limiting showers, minimizing laundry loads, and reporting any leaks. Hikers are also advised to carry sufficient water or treatment methods when venturing into the backcountry.
Underground Infrasturcture
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05 December 20252 min readWaterline Breaks Force Overnight Closure At Grand Canyon; $208 Million Replacement Project Underway
Underground Infrasturcture
05 December 2025
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Thames Water Gets Go-Ahead From Creditors To Access Further Funding From £1.5 Billion FacilityOn 10 November 2025,Thames Water announced announced the launch of its fifth Consent Requests for Super Senior Issuer Funding from the initial £1.5 billion available under its super senior liquidity facility – to date it has so far drawn £872 million of the facility. The water company entered into the facility with its subsidiary, Thames Water Super Senior Issuer PLC.
The consents will allow Thames Water to draw a further £321 million in November 2025.
The Facility includes conditions precedent to drawdowns, including the so-called June Release Condition, which (as amended on 15 July 2025) requires Thames Water to have entered into a supported lock-up agreement by 31 July 2025 in respect of a second restructuring plan. However, the June Release Condition was not met.
The fifth Consent Requests launched by Thames and the Super Senior Issuer sought the consent of the super senior creditors:
Whilst the June Release Condition remains unsatisfied, any further drawdowns of the remaining balance of the £1.5 billion facility by the water company will be subject to further consents and conditions having first been obtained or satisfied. Subject to the satisfaction or further extension of the June Release Condition, Thames expects to make further drawdowns of the facility in the first quarter of 2026.
It is not intended that the utility will access the further £1.5 billion Accordion Facility under the super senior liquidity facility until, amongst other things, the initial £1.5 billion facility has been drawn in full.
The Accordion Facility is expected, if and when it becomes available to Thames, to provide liquidity until at least the third quarter of 2026.
Given the approvals, Thames and the Super Senior Issuer will proceed with the implementation of the consents and amendments outlined in the Fifth Consent Requests.
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25 November 20252 min readThames Water Gets Go-Ahead From Creditors To Access Further Funding From £1.5 Billion Facility
Water Briefing
25 November 2025
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New Report From Nhbc Foundation Projects Five Billion Litre Potable Water Shortfall In Uk By 2050This comprehensive report examines water efficiency and water reuse in residential development in an international context. It features comment and analysis from ten countries demonstrating leadership in water management in the urban environment, with a focus on housing developments.
Demand for water globally is rising due to a range of factors including population growth, urbanisation and increasing need from agricultural, industrial and energy sectors. Across the globe total freshwater use was four trillion m3 per year in 2014. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), during the last six decades municipal water consumption grew at the fastest rate when compared to other uses.
The Water Compendium reveals that the UK can expect a projected short fall in potable water of five billion litres per day by 2050. To address this gap the government has announced ambitious targets, some of which relate to reductions in domestic water supply. While every country is unique, the Water Compendium encourages the UK not to ignore critical insights and learn from successes in other geographical areas.
The countries studied in this new publication, which included Japan, the Netherlands and the United States, were assessed against the same set of parameters and presented in a unified format for easy comparison. Each country report provides information on the geographic, climatic and statistical indicators, as well as a brief review of their approach to water efficiency targeting and decentralised water reuse. Country reports also include the description of applicable requirements, central and regional/local policies, incentives (where available) and a project that serves as an example of an innovative scheme representative of good practice in that country.
The Water Compendium also provides definition of water reuse terminology. Decentralised water reuse is defined as the process of collecting, treating and reusing alternative water at or near its source. Types of alternative water sources that are most often reused in residential developments include rainwater, stormwater, greywater and wastewater.
Additionally, the report also looks at and clarifies sustainability rating standards; some new developments and refurbishment projects are designed and constructed to achieve certain ratings under different sustainability standards. Higher ratings often serve as a prerequisite for attracting sustainability-conscious investors, buyers and tenants. Most popular rating schemes include water efficiency as an assessment category and the introduction of water reuse can be driven by the desire to achieve higher ratings.
Richard Smith, Head of Standards, Innovation & Research at NHBC, the UK’s leading independent provider of warranty and insurance for new homes, commented:
“Water is our most precious resource and vital to us all. The Water Compendium not only highlights the need to understand and manage water usage but also considers practical, real-world examples of how safe, clean water can be made available to everyone. That’s why I’m delighted this report from NHBC Foundation is so comprehensive - it looks at the issue of domestic water use and how this impacts house building in a broader context, considering solutions from a global perspective.”
Click here to download the report
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25 November 20253 min readNew Report From Nhbc Foundation Projects Five Billion Litre Potable Water Shortfall In Uk By 2050
Water Briefing
25 November 2025
water
Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water Set To Invest £665 Million In 2025/26The investment is part of its largest-ever capital investment programme of over £4 billion for the 5 years up to the end of AMP8 in March 2030.
Together with its company-wide transformation programme (known as Trawsnewid) the investment will deliver improvements for customers, communities, and the environment.
The first months of the year also recorded Wales’ warmest summer on record, and despite Natural Resources Wales placing much of Wales in environmental drought, Welsh Water avoided any restrictions on customers’ water supplies.
The record investment is delivering major and innovative projects such as the recently opened £13 million wetland storm overflow at Pont-y-felin in Torfaen - the first of its kind in the UK. By harnessing the natural filtering power of wetlands, the site is already reducing the company’s impact on local rivers and setting a model for future sustainable investment.
In October Welsh Water also launched consultations on the largest infrastructure project in the company’s history – the Cwm Taf Water Supply Strategy. The plans will modernise the drinking water network across South Wales, replacing century-old treatment facilities and increasing clean water storage capacity.
While climate change has continued to impact the company’s services over the last six months, despite the prolonged dry periods over spring and summer, careful management of water supplies meant there was no need for temporary restrictions or ‘hosepipe bans’ across the water company’s operating area
In the 6 months between April and September 2025, the company made progress on reducing incidents of internal and external flooding, improving river water quality and overall pollution incidents and building on the 576km of rivers improved between 2020 and 2025.
Although the company’s Environmental Performance Assessment will remain at two stars, improvements were noted in four of the seven elements of the EPA measure in the last year, and the total number of pollution incidents is the second lowest in the industry.
However, Welsh Water company acknowledges the need to continue making changes in some areas of performance and has detailed plans in place to address this, including improving discharge permit compliance at wastewater treatment works and reducing serious pollution incidents.
Performance metrics highlighted in the report include:
In the six months to 30 September 2025 revenue increased by 27% to £583 million (2024: £461 million), primarily reflecting customer price increases. and capital investment totalled £288 million (2024: £295 million).
Adjusted operating profit of £103 million improved by £104 million (2024: £1 million loss) reflecting the revenue increase. This was partially offset by higher operating costs driven by an increase in bad debt charges (£7 million) as a result of the customer price increases, inflationary pay awards to staff (£2 million), spend to protect compliance activities (£2 million) and £3 million customer compensation payments following major bursts compounded by a one-off business rate refund of £4 million in the prior period.
Transformation and restructuring costs of £15 million relate to theTrawsnewid transformation programme, split £7 million professional services costs and £8 million employee related restructuring costs.
The Group reported a loss before taxation of £29 million (2024: £54 million).
Gearing has stayed at 62% since March 2025, remaining well within the threshold of the Group’s covenants and existing credit rating. Credit ratings remain at BBB+/Baa1/A- for senior Class B debt from Standard and Poor’s, Moody’s and Fitch respectively.
Welsh Water raised £450 million in capital from investors in September, and has embarked on the company-wide transformation programme which aims to improve processes, make better use of technology and ensure that the company’s funds are focussed on front line delivery of services.
In order to maintain its finances on a stable footing, the utility is reducing the number of people employed by the company by 500 – or 12% of the workforce - over the course of the next 18-24 months. “This is a decision that we did not want to take, but it is necessary,” Peter Perry commented.
The company continues to have strong credit ratings and the transformation programme which is well underway is a key part of maintaining this position. Earlier this year, the average household bill increased by 27% and the transformation programme is to review how customer money is spent by the company, how efficient its processes are, and ensuring that value for money is achieved across the supply chain.
Photo: Welsh Water CEO Peter Perry
Commenting on the interim results, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water CEO Peter Perry said:
“Whilst we face many challenges today, operational performance is incomparable to what they were when Welsh Water became a not-for-profit company almost 25 years ago. The targets we must meet continue to get tougher as regulators rightly want to push for higher standards; but maintaining increasingly aging assets and the real impact of climate change are making it ever more difficult to strike an acceptable balance between performance improvements and building resilience for the future, at a cost that is acceptable to our customers. We cannot do everything, everywhere all at once – it is not affordable or deliverable, and we must therefore work ever closer with our customers to agree how limited resource is prioritised.
Peter Perry will retire in spring 2026 after a 45-year career in the sector, with CEO-elect Roch Cheroux, former CEO of Sydney Water, taking the helm in January.
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21 November 20255 min readDŵr Cymru Welsh Water Set To Invest £665 Million In 2025/26
Water Briefing
21 November 2025
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California Groundwater Agency Seeks $5 Million In Federal Funding For 50-Mile Pipeline ProjectRIDGECREST, Calif. (UI) — The Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority (IWVGA) is pursuing $5 million in federal funding to kickstart construction of a 50-mile Water Replenishment Pipeline, a critical project aimed at stabilizing groundwater levels in one of California’s most water-stressed regions.
According to IWVGA’s congressional funding request, the project would connect the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Basin with the State Water Project, delivering up to 6,431 acre-feet per year of imported water by 2070. The proposed pipeline, ranging from 18 to 24 inches in diameter, would run from California City to Ridgecrest, with booster pump stations and storage tanks along the route.
The total project cost is estimated at $200 million, with IWVGA providing a $1.25 million non-federal match for the first construction phase. The initial $5 million request was submitted under the Energy and Water Development Act for Fiscal Year 2027, supported by Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff.
“This project is essential to achieving long-term water sustainability,” IWVGA Chairman Scott Hayman stated in a letter to federal lawmakers. “Without it, future water needs—both for the community and for the U.S. Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake—cannot be met.”
The project aligns with the state’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) requirement to bring basins into balance by 2040. Design and environmental permitting are underway, with construction targeted to begin in 2027 pending U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) approval and appropriations.
If funding is approved, the Corps would oversee mobilization, materials procurement, right-of-way acquisition, and initial tank construction during fiscal year 2027.
Underground Infrasturcture
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21 November 20252 min readCalifornia Groundwater Agency Seeks $5 Million In Federal Funding For 50-Mile Pipeline Project
Underground Infrasturcture
21 November 2025
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Severn Trent Engages Market On £200M Northern Section Of Ambitious Water Transfer ProjectSevern Trent Water has launched a second stage of preliminary market engagement for the delivery of the Minworth Strategic Resource Option (SRO), an integral component of the broader Grand Union Canal Transfer (GUCT) scheme.
Valued at an estimated £200M excluding VAT, the project aims to significantly bolster water security in the southeast of England by transferring highly treated recycled water from the Midlands.
The Minworth SRO focuses on the northern section of the wider GUCT initiative, centred on the construction of an Advanced Water Treatment Plant (AWTP) at Severn Trent’s existing Minworth site. This state-of-the-art facility will treat recycled water to a high standard before it is transferred via a 17km underground pipeline to an outfall in the Coventry Canal at Atherstone. From there, the water will be transported along the canal network as part of the GUCT project, which ultimately serves to meet increasing water demand in the Southeast.
Stages of Severn Trent’s Minworth SRO
This announcement follows the initial preliminary market engagement carried out in the summer, with Severn Trent now inviting potential suppliers to participate in one-to-one and deep dive sessions. These sessions are designed to cover a range of topics critical to the project’s success, including delivery models, procurement updates, early contractor involvement, asset and water quality considerations, sustainability and social value, as well as innovation and digital integration.
Severn Trent’s current thinking is that the procurement will be structured around seven lots, allowing for flexible participation by contractors. These lots cover various combinations of the AWTP asset, water quality management and pipeline corridor responsibilities. Interested parties can apply for one or multiple lots depending on their expertise and capacity. Currently, the estimated contract period is projected to run from December 2028 through to December 2030.
The engagement deadline for the current round of preliminary market engagement is set for 28 November.
Severn Trent plans to conduct a third round of market engagement in late 2025, which will finalise the procurement strategy ahead of a formal procurement launch in early 2027.
Distinctly, the Minworth SRO will be delivered in-house by Severn Trent, contrasting with the Grand Union Canal SRO in the south, which Affinity Water is managing through the Direct Procurement for Customers (DPC) process.
The Grand Union Canal Transfer project represents a collaborative effort between Severn Trent Water and Affinity Water, aiming to transport surplus treated wastewater from the Midlands to the increasingly water-stressed southeast. The initiative is a strategic response to long-term water demand challenges, offering a sustainable and innovative pathway to improve regional water resilience. Mott MacDonald and Adams Henry Consulting are aiding in drawing up the development consent order (DCO) application for the scheme.
By constructing the AWTP at Minworth and facilitating the underground transfer of water to the Coventry Canal, Severn Trent is advancing a critical piece of infrastructure that will underpin the success of the wider GUCT programme. The project not only addresses environmental and sustainability objectives but also aligns with broader social value goals, underscoring the company’s commitment to responsible resource management.
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18 November 20253 min readSevern Trent Engages Market On £200M Northern Section Of Ambitious Water Transfer Project
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18 November 2025
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Severn Trent Invites Suppliers To Register For Deep Dive Sessions For Upcoming £200 Million Sro Minworth (Northern Section) ProcurementThe aim of the Deep Dive Sessions is to provide the market with insight of the Minworth Strategic Resource Option) which includes the upgrade of its wastewater treatment plant at the Minworth site. The project aims to take surplus treated water from the Minworth Wastewater Recycling Centre and treat it further at a new Advanced Water Treatment Plant to create a new water resource.
The Minworth SRO is one of two Strategic Resource Options (SROs) in the Grand Union Canal Transfer scheme (GUCT) – a collaborative initiative between Affinity Water and Severn Trent, The Grand Union Canal Strategic Resource Option(GUC SRO) is being delivered by Affinity Water.
The Minworth SRO seeks to provide a sustainable solution to meet future water demands and improve water security in the Southeast region. Broadly speaking, the Minworth SRO encompasses the construction of an Advanced Water Treatment Plant (AWTP) on Severn Trent’s existing Minworth site and transfer via an underground pipeline to an outfall into the Coventry Canal at Atherstone.
Current estimated start and end contract dates for the project are 1 December 2028 to 1 December 2030.
As part of its Preliminary Market Engagement activity Severn Trent now intends to conduct a series of Deep Dive Sessions as follows:
Deadline for suppliers to register to participate in the Deep Dive sessions is 28 November 2025. Suppliers are invited to participate in the Preliminary Market Engagement Deep Dives by registering on SAP Ariba using the following link – https://discovery.ariba.com/rfx/23446725.
Suppliers who participate in the Deep Dive Sessions will also be able to submit a Feedback Form commenting on the sessions they join via the following link - https://forms.office.com/e/D4Kg4DQFQd
Following the initial Preliminary Market Engagement activities Severn Trent will then progress to the next stage of a public consultation.
Deadline for suppliers to register to participate in the Deep Dive sessions is 28 November 2025.
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14 November 20252 min readSevern Trent Invites Suppliers To Register For Deep Dive Sessions For Upcoming £200 Million Sro Minworth (Northern Section) Procurement
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14 November 2025
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Thames Water Issues Fifth Consent Requests To Access Further Funding From £1.5 Billion FacilityThe water company entered into the facility with its subsidiary, Thames Water Super Senior Issuer PLC.
The Facility includes conditions precedent to drawdowns, including the so-called June Release Condition, which (as amended on 15 July 2025) requires Thames Water to have entered into a supported lock-up agreement by 31 July 2025 in respect of a second restructuring plan. However, as yet the June Release Condition has not been met.
Fifth Consent Requests
Yesterday Thames and the Super Senior Issuer launched a fifth set of consent requests (the "Fifth Consent Requests") seeking the consent of the super senior creditors:
to extend the June Release Condition to 28 November 2025; and
to make further amendments to the Facility, which (among other things) amend the dates and amounts of scheduled drawdowns under the Facility by TWUL to reflect previous consent requests and TWUL’s anticipated liquidity needs.
The consents, if granted, will allow Thames Water to draw a further £321 million which will be drawn in November 2025. The Fifth Consent Requests have a voting date of 24 November 2025 and follow four previous sets of consent requests which were approved by creditors in April, May, July and September 2025.
Voting may close earlier if the requisite majority of super senior creditors vote in favour of the Fifth Consent Requests before the voting date.
Whilst the June Release Condition remains unsatisfied, any further drawdowns of the remaining balance of the £1.5 billion facility by the water company will be subject to further consents and conditions having first been obtained or satisfied. Subject to the satisfaction or further extension of the June Release Condition, Thames expects to make further drawdowns of the facility in the first quarter of 2026.
It is not intended that the utility will access the further £1.5 billion Accordion Facility under the super senior liquidity facility until, amongst other things, the initial £1.5 billion facility has been drawn in full.
The Accordion Facility is expected, if and when it becomes available to Thames, to provide liquidity until at least the third quarter of 2026. This further facility will only become available on the basis that all conditions precedent to the commitment of the Accordion Facility and further drawings under it are either satisfied or waived. In particular, these conditions precedent require Thames Water to have entered into a supported lock-up agreement in respect of a second restructuring plan.
Thames Water said it continues to work closely with stakeholders to secure a market led solution.
Creditors can contact Thames Water to receive details of existing creditor groups and their advisors.
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12 November 20253 min readThames Water Issues Fifth Consent Requests To Access Further Funding From £1.5 Billion Facility
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12 November 2025
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Welsh Water Announces Market Engagement Activities For £667 Million Design-Build-Finance Cwm Taf SchemeThe Cwm Taf Scheme is a two-site project comprising Dan-y-Castell (with an estimated value of £362 million excluding VAT) and Llwyn-onn (with an estimated value of £194 million excluding VAT).
At this stage the water company has not circulated the questionnaire referred to in the original notice – activity to date has involved suppliers registering their interest by the deadline of 22 September 2025.
Welsh Water is now providing details of its first market engagement activity - since September the utility has been working on the technical documentation as part of its preparation for a statutory planning consultation. At the end of October 2025 the company launched its statutory pre-application planning consultation
As part of the market engagement process, Welsh Water now intends to share key technical documentation associated with the Cwm Taf Scheme and relevant to the future procurement process.
Alongside this, the firm intends to host a launch in-person event for registered organisations on the 19th of November 2025 in Cardiff which will focus on technical requirements and take the opportunity to present on the company’s emerging reference design for the scheme. At the launch event Welsh Water will also provide an overview of its procurement timeline.
The water company is seeking feedback as part of the market engagement on the viability of the procurement plan against the backdrop of investment in the UK and constructability of the two projects to meet regulatory commitments, sustainability, social value, and plans to manage environmental impact.
For more information about the event, market participants must register via email. Interested organisations are asked to email
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to register/participate in the market engagement process. The deadline for initial registration for market engagement was 22/09/2025. The deadline to register for the in-person event in Cardiff is 14th November 2025. Details in relation to further events will be provided to registered organisations.
Welsh Water also intends to undertake further market engagement event(s) between December 2025 and February 2026 to discuss the preferred commercial and contracting models. The focus at these events will be on the main aspects of the contractual agreement, risk allocation, incentivisation, funding duration and financing models and opportunities within the procurement process to offer value for money for Welsh Water's customers.
Welsh Water will continue to provide updates about further market engagement activities and associated deadlines as the project progresses.
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12 November 20253 min readWelsh Water Announces Market Engagement Activities For £667 Million Design-Build-Finance Cwm Taf Scheme
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12 November 2025
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California City To Replace 5.5 Miles Of Downtown Water, Sewer Mains In Phase IiOCEANSIDE, Calif. (UI) — The City of Oceanside will start construction in early 2026 on Phase II of its Downtown Water and Sewer Replacement Project, the second step in a five-phase program to modernize aging underground utilities.
Phase II will replace more than 3 miles of sewer and over 2.5 miles of water mains and add nearly 1 mile of recycled-water pipe downtown. Many of the targeted lines have reached advanced age, with some sewer mains approaching 100 years old. The work is intended to bring the system up to current standards and increase capacity to meet growth, while expanding recycled-water service to public, commercial and mixed-use properties for irrigation.
Construction is expected to last about two years. Traffic will generally be maintained; road closures or detours will occur at night only. Daytime work is limited to 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. with additional restrictions in busier areas. No work will occur west of Myers Street during summer or during major events and weekly markets.
The project cost is roughly $30 million, funded by previously budgeted capital improvement funds and state and federal grants.
Phase I, completed between Neptune and Pier View Way, replaced 2.5 miles of water and over 1.5 miles of sewer infrastructure.
Underground Infrasturcture
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12 November 20252 min readCalifornia City To Replace 5.5 Miles Of Downtown Water, Sewer Mains In Phase Ii
Underground Infrasturcture
12 November 2025
water
Welsh Water Opens Market Engagement For Partners On £556M Cwm Taf Infrastructure UpgradesDwr Cymru Cyfyngedig / Welsh Water has launched preliminary market engagement for a multi‑hundred‑million pound investment to replace and upgrade ageing water treatment infrastructure in the Cwm Taf area of south Wales.
The company says the Cwm Taf Scheme, part of its wider Cwm Taf Water Supply Strategy, aims to “future proof” supplies to more than 3M customers by replacing plant built in the early 20th century and meeting modern regulatory standards.
Two linked projects form the scheme: a new water treatment works at Dan‑y‑Castell Farm, Merthyr Tydfil (near the A465 Heads of the Valleys Road) and upgrades to the Llwyn‑onn works that would allow the decommissioning of Cantref works, originally opened in 1926. A replacement raw water pumping station at the Pontsticill site is also part of the works.
Welsh Water has told potential suppliers it intends to deliver the works through Ofwat’s Direct Procurement for Customers (DPC) route using a Competitively Appointed Provider (CAP) on a design‑build‑finance (DBF) basis. Indicative values for the two sites are around £362M (Dan‑y‑Castell) and £194M (Llwyn‑onn), excluding VAT, although the company stresses the figures are preliminary.
If the timetable runs to plan, Welsh Water expects to award contracts in August 2028. The project timeline envisions regulatory completion with the Drinking Water Inspectorate in March 2032, followed by about 12 months of testing and then a 25‑year operating term. Contract dates are currently estimated to run from 31 August 2028 until 30 August 2058.
A statutory pre‑application planning consultation began at the end of October 2025, and Welsh Water’s current consultation on the two proposals remains open until 10 December.
In the meantime, the company is preparing to publish technical documentation to support planning and procurement and will host a market‑engagement launch event in Cardiff on 19 November 2025 for organisations that have registered interest. Further engagement events are planned between December 2025 and February 2026 to discuss commercial models, risk allocation, financing and opportunities for innovation.
The company says the market engagement aims to test the viability of its procurement approach and identify potential barriers to delivery that might affect value for customers.
Welsh Water said the works are required to maintain compliance with drinking water standards and to reduce the risk of future supply interruptions. The scheme will incorporate water treatment works, pumping stations, transfer pipelines, treated water storage and environmental and mitigation measures, and will need to address environmental obligations including objectives under the Well‑being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.
The Cwm Taf proposals follow growing pressure on UK water companies to upgrade old assets and reduce environmental impacts while securing supplies in the face of population growth and climate change. Ofwat’s DPC programme is intended to bring private capital and expertise into large public‑facing infrastructure projects, with costs ultimately borne by customers but subject to regulatory oversight and customer protections.
Local residents and environmental groups are likely to scrutinise the plans during the statutory consultation and forthcoming planning process. Key issues will include the siting and footprint of new works, impacts on the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park where part of the scheme is located, disruption during construction and long‑term environmental mitigation.
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12 November 20253 min readWelsh Water Opens Market Engagement For Partners On £556M Cwm Taf Infrastructure Upgrades
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12 November 2025
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Scotland Excel Tenders Major £160 Million Framework Contract For Engineering And Technical Consultancy ServicesScotland Excel is a central purchasing body and is procuring the framework on behalf of a number of contracting authorities.
Scope of the framework covers engineering and technical consultancy services primarily related to civil engineering and other associated disciplines. The wide-ranging contract is being tendered in nine separate Lots:
Scotland Excel is looking to appoint up to 35 suppliers to the framework agreement, which will run for four years..
Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate is 12:00pm on 10 December 2025
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, via https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_MainPage.aspx Search under Buyer Name – Scotland Excel to access the ITT documents.
Scotland Excel is using PCS-Tender to carry out the procurement process - this is a separate website and suppliers who are not already registered on the system will be required to do so.
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08 November 20251 min readScotland Excel Tenders Major £160 Million Framework Contract For Engineering And Technical Consultancy Services
Water Briefing
08 November 2025
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