Water and Effluent Treatment Magazine
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/1043438
ALLIANCES 2019 23 The biggest alliance in the water sector, Thames Water's eight2O brings together global expertise from multiple sectors in order to provide design and build solutions for Thames Water in AMP6. The alliance is carrying out £1.75BN of capital investment work in the five year period leading up to 2020. Partners in the eight2O alliance alongside Thames Water include two design and build JVs: one formed by Costain, Atkins and Black & Veatch (known as CABV) and the other by Skanska, Stantec and Balfour Beatty (known as SMB). Stantec UK – previously MWH – have an additional role as the lead programme control while IBM are also on board as technology innovation partner. The alliance was formed two years in advance of AMP6 in order to embed the new approach and give the participants the greatest possible momentum with the capital programme; an initiative that was praised by all involved. However, there was a subsequent change to the alliance line-up when one member of eight2O – Veolia – dropped out and was replaced by Black & Veatch in 2016. Thames Water's AMP6 programme has been broken down into four quadrants: water infrastructure, water non-infrastructure, wastewater infrastructure, and wastewater non- infrastructure. (Infrastructure assets are below ground while non-infrastructure are above ground). Some of the largest projects by value in AMP6 are in the wastewater non-infrastructure quadrant, with notable treatment works upgrades in London, Hampton, Ashford, Kempton and Walton. There are several hundred projects in the programme in total, ranging from energy-producing combined heat and power plants at Thames Water sites to major pipelines in the Thames Valley and mains replacements in central London. Eight2O is intended to achieve greater efficiency in implementing Thames Water's business plans, with a focus on teamwork, sustainability and an integrated supplier community in order to deliver strategy and cement long term value to Thames's customers. There is a key focus on delivering long-term efficiencies through operations, and on digital design technology. Early contractor involvement (ECI) has been embedded in an eight2O early engagement strategy. The digital emphasis of the alliance and the use of BIM allows for an improved ability to communicate potential designs and solutions to operations, better knowledge sharing and a mechanism for essential feedback; a mobile design and solution studio gives eight2O access to consult operations at any site or location. Eight2O was set up with AMP7 in mind as much as AMP6, and Thames Water's business plan for 2020-5 gives plenty of prospective capital investment to keep the alliance partners busy. The utility is looking to build a new reservoir to be shared with Affinity Water, and an innovative new wastewater reuse plant in North London. It also wants to start a scheme to transfer water from the Midlands using the Oxford Canal, to develop a new groundwater sources, and to upgrade 48 wastewater sites. In tune with the focus demanded by Ofwat for PR19, resilience schemes are expected to be a big ticket item of expenditure. A 25-year programme for water resilience worth around £1bn has been promised, starting with north east London and Guildford. With Ofwat yet to respond to water companies' initial business plans, it is too early to say how these planned works will translate into capital works for eight2O in AMP7. However, it looks certain that eight2O will continue to be the flag bearer for alliance-led capital delivery for some time to come. Eight2O PARTNERS: Costain, Atkins, Black & Veatch (CABV), Skanska, Stantec, Balfour Beatty (SMB), IBM. CLIENT: Thames Water CONTRACT: Delivering AMP6 capital programme TERM: Five years, possible extension to 2025 ALLIANCES 2019: THAMES WATER Eight2O leads on flagship capital programme