A £3bn deal has been signed to overhaul a 70-year-old aqueduct that supplies water to more than 2.5m customers across north-west England.
The agreement between United Utilities and water projects specialists Cascade Infrastructure will refurbish the Haweswater aqueduct, that carries water from Cumbria to homes in Greater Manchester and Lancashire.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said: “The Haweswater Aqueduct has served our region well for decades. This landmark investment ensures it will continue to do so for generations to come.”
The original 68-mile (110km) pipeline was a major feat of engineering when it was originally built and uses gravity to carry 125m gallons (570m litres) of water every day.
The project will see ageing pipelines in six tunnel sections, which were excavated with explosives and dug by hand, replaced with new tunnels and a pipeline along the same sections using high-tech boring machines.
It will be funded by direct procurement, a way of financing big projects devised by the regulator Ofwat, in which water companies instruct third-party providers to design, build, finance, operate and maintain infrastructure after putting the job out to competitive tendering.
Mr Burnham said the development was “not just about securing the water supplies” but “also about creating jobs, building skills, and delivering long-term value for our communities”.
United Utilities chief executive Louise Beardmore said: “Today marks a significant step to ensure we have the right infrastructure to provide a resilient water supply to communities right across the region for decades to come.”
It is part of a UU programme to “upgrade and improve the region’s strategic water network”.
The work is set to get under way in 2026.
