Kier has strengthened its position in the UK water sector with two new early contractor involvement (ECI) packages from Southern Water, together worth £44m. The latest awards build on £29m of similar AMP8 wins the contractor secured earlier in the year.
The first package, valued at £20m, covers early-stage design and development at six wastewater treatment works: Chickenhall, Fullerton, Leeds, Newnham Valley, Paddock Wood and Sellindge. The programme focuses on increasing treatment capacity and improving compliance as Southern Water advances its Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) commitments.
A second tranche, worth £24.5m, spans another six sites at Dambridge, Felbridge, Staplehurst, Ticehurst, Tonbridge and Ulcombe. Kier’s scope includes developing solutions to enhance ammonia, phosphorus and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) removal, alongside detailed constructability input to reduce risk in later delivery stages.
Both ECI deals are being delivered under NEC4 contracts, with an emphasis on securing programme certainty ahead of the main construction phases. Kier framework director Andy Beech said the awards mark “another important step” in the firm’s partnership with Southern Water at the outset of AMP8.
The new work further consolidates Kier’s growing AMP8 portfolio, following recent framework and project successes with Yorkshire Water, Wessex Water, United Utilities, Anglian Water and Severn Trent. The contractor is positioning its water business to capture a significant share of the sector’s upcoming capital investment cycle.
