United Utilities has announced Turner & Townsend Infrastructure Limited as the preferred bidder to serve as Independent Technical Adviser (ITA) for the Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme (HARP), a major infrastructure project set to transform water resilience across England’s North West.
The selection follows a competitive tender process and marks a key milestone in what will be United Utilities’ largest capital investment since the company was privatised. Turner & Townsend will play a critical role in providing independent oversight on cost and project delivery throughout the life of the programme. The water company had shortlisted three applicants for the role of Independent Technical Adviser (ITA) in August 2024.
Originally constructed in the 1950s, the Haweswater Aqueduct was designed to transport water from the Lake District to Manchester and the Pennines. With much of the infrastructure aging, HARP aims to ensure the long-term performance and reliability of this essential asset by replacing approximately 50 km of tunnel sections.
Earlier this year, United Utilities also named the STRABAG Equitix Consortium as the preferred bidder for the Competitively Appointed Provider (CAP) role. That consortium will be responsible for designing, building, financing and maintaining the replacement tunnel sections.
John McNeill, Head of Programme Delivery at United Utilities, highlighted the importance of the new appointment: “The ITA will play a crucial role for HARP by providing objective, independent assurance on costs and delivery of the project.
“This is the culmination of a lot of hard work from a dedicated team, and we are really pleased to have now established our preferred bidder for the ITA role.”
With both key delivery and advisory roles now identified, the initiative is moving steadily toward its construction phase, which will future-proof the water supply across the region.
