WET News

Pump Into Action with SLD • • • • • Diesel Pumps Electric Submersible Pumps Hydraulic Pumps Specialist Generators Heaters / Boilers Turn to the rental experts 0870 392 9649 www.sldpumpspower.co.uk info@sldpumpspower.co.uk WET NEWS amey will maintain sewer and clean water infrastructure ameY'S NeTwork Maintenance Alliance (NMA) contract with United Utilities (UU) has been extended until 2020. The £225M deal will see Amey help to maintain more than 76,000km of sewer pipe, 42,000km of clean water infrastructure, private sewers, manage water diversions and carry out network enhancements for a further five years for UU. As part of the deal, the services provided are critical for maintaining the clean and wastewater infrastructure that serve approximately seven million people and 200,000 businesses in the North-west. Amey acquired Enterprise who originally held the contract since 2009 and the contract extension will draw on the key successes over the lifetime of the deal. Mel Ewell, chief executive of Amey, said: "We are delighted that we will be continuing this important relationship with United Utilities, and look forward to providing excellent service delivery to the communities across the northwest of England." Steve Fraser, managing director of UU, said: "Amey will play a vital role every day for our three million customers keeping the pipes and pumps of our water and wastewater system working. We have a significant amount of work to maintain and improve many parts of our network over the next five years and beyond, whilst keeping water bills affordable." Amey has also been named as one of the seven existing design and build contractors that will deliver Severn Trent Water's essential investment in its clean and wastewater network. • • • • • offICIaL IweX meDIa ParTNer www.wwtonline.co.uk 'Opportunistic' contractors cost industy £500M The waTer companies are being warned to watch out for hidden overcharges by 'opportunistic' contractors in the build-up to AMP6. The warning has come from construction audit consultancy the Orange Partnership, which revealed that overcharging by contractors has cost the water sector more than £500M over the AMP5 period. The Orange Partnership said a forensic audit has identified staffing cost overcharging as a leading source of hidden costs levied by "opportunistic contractors hired to handle numerous upgrade and maintenance of water company networks. The consultancy's Phil Joyce said: "Unlike other sectors requiring planned and reactive upgrades, major water suppliers require local contractors to Awards tickets go on sale The eNTrIeS are now in, but entrants will have to wait until April 1 to see who has won a trophy when the Water Industry Achievement Awards 2014 take place at a glittering extravaganza held at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, NEC, Birmingham. The awards, organised by WET News and Water & Wastewater Treatment, reward innovation and best practice in the industry. Tickets are now on sale for the awards ceremony and gala dinner, the major highlight in the water industry's calendar. Join in the celebrations and book a table now! Find out more by contacting Danielle Wood at danielle.wood@ fav-house.com or visit www. waterindustryachievement awards.info. handle numerous, frequent, unplanned-for and often remote small jobs. Through extensive forensic audits, over a number of major national water companies, we've clearly identified staff cost overcharging as a recurring pattern. "We've identified specific examples of how "Payroll burdens" which are accounting estimates from contractors have been abused and inflated. We found a contractor who charged for a full fleet of company car usage where only half were actually used for the job at hand. "With extensive forensic audit of all costs, from lead contractors to sub subcontractors, it's possible to see the huge dent these overcharges impact on the finances of major water companies. While Diesel Pumps Electric Submersible Pumps Hydraulic Pumps Specialist Generators Heaters / Boilers Turn to the rental experts 0870 392 9649 www.sldpumpspower.co.uk info@sldpumpspower.co.uk WATER AND EFFLUENT TREATMENT NEWS The NewSPaPer for waTer INDUSTrY CoNTraCTorS UU extends Amey's NMA deal Pump Into Action with SLD volume 20 • issue 1 • January 2014 Ex-Tarmac boss chairs Tideway project £20B has been committed by the water companies for planned and reactive upgrades (covering the period of 20102015) we modestly estimate £500M of this budget will be spent covering unnecessary overcharges." He said the recession has further contributed heavily to "this rife culture of overcharging" among contractors who have been operating on wafer thin margins. Joyce continued: "Our concern is that water companies, along with gas and electric suppliers will be heavily scrutinised by the public for increasing rates. Identifying and stopping these overcharges, early, is crucial so that consumers do not get burdened with higher bills." The former chief executive of Tarmac and chairman of Carillion, Sir Neville Simms, has been appointed chairman of the Thames Tideway Tunnel. Sir Neville will focus on preparing the controversial project for its move to the delivery phase, pending the granting of planning consent. During his 35-year career with Tarmac and its successor company Carillion, Sir Neville streamlined the Sir Neville Simms business to ensure it survived the recession of the 1990s. He was a founder member of the government's Private Finance Panel and chaired Defra's Sustainable Procurement Task Force. Commenting on his new role, Sir Neville said: "I am thrilled to be joining the team driving forward this muchneeded addition to the nation's infrastructure. The project is fundamental for London's future growth and well being." Sir Peter Mason, chairman of Thames Water, said: "Spanning four decades, Sir Neville's experience in delivering some of the UK's most significant infrastructure projects, including the Thames Tidal Barrier and the Channel Tunnel, is exceptional." Thames Water has released the first tender documents for the project's construction, which will see the shortlisted construction contractors work up designs and costings for the Western section of the tunnel. Similar Invitations to Tender (ITT) for the Central and Eastern sections will follow next year. PUMP HIRE, SALES & SERVICE Models From 50mm To 300mm Selprime Auto Self-Priming Super Silent From 58db(A) Hydraulic Submersibles Electric Submersibles 24/7 Callout Branches Nationwide Selwood has been manufacturing, hiring and selling pumps for over 60 years. Please call for expert advice on all pumping applications. UK's 1 NmoHire p Pu st Speciali 08450 733835 www.selwoodpumps.co.uk

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