Amec in £50 million capital project win

West of Scotland Water has chosen the AMEC Northumbrian consortium as their preferred bidder for a substantial infrastructure project ­ albeit at the somewhat less glamorous end of the spectrum.

The consortium comprising AMEC, Northumbrian Water and Degremont, will oversee the design, construction, financing and operation of three sewage treatment works and a sludge plant in Ayrshire, a PFI scheme with a required capital investment of £50 million.

The three plants will serve a population of almost 450,000, with existing facilities to be upgraded and extended and new facilities built.

The design and construction work is to be carried out by a joint venture between AMEC and Degremont. When completed, the new facilities will be operated by Northumbrian Water Group in association with West of Scotland Water's existing operations.

A spokesperson from AMEC said: "This is an important move for AMEC into the water industry. PFI is a very important part of our growth strategy, and this move demonstrates AMEC's capabilities to operate in this area."

Julie Crisp