Contractors appointed for new Thames Water sewage works in Guildford

The partnership has been awarded a five-year contract to design, construct, and commission a new works in the town to replace the existing 60-year-old site, which is set to be demolished to enable Guildford Borough Council to develop new housing.

As part of the scheme, the council has agreed to fund the new, modern works, Thames Water’s first since 2005, which will be constructed at Slyfield Industrial Estate on land previously used as landfill. The new works will be designed to allow for future expansion to meet demand from Guildford’s growing population.

Francis Paonessa, Thames Water’s Capital Delivery Director, said: “We’re excited to be working with BAM Nuttall and Doosan Enpure to provide the best services for Guildford’s residents now and in the future.

“As well as creating space for new homes in the town, the scheme will allow us to build a modern sewage works which will be able to support Guildford’s growth in years to come.

“This will be the first new sewage works to be built by Thames Water since Reading STW opened more than 15 years ago and shows our commitment to constantly improving the service we offer our customers.”

The project will include the construction of a 1.5km, 1,500mm-diameter tunnel to transport the sewage from Guildford’s existing sewer network to the new site, along with facilities to carry out the four stages of treatment to meet environmental requirements before the treated water is returned to the River Wey via a newly-constructed outfall.

Martin Bellamy, Managing Director at BAM Nuttall, said: ‘This collaborative contract is directly aligned with our strategy of ‘building a sustainable tomorrow’, providing vital infrastructure for the people of Guildford. We are thrilled to be involved in this fantastic project and look forward to working with our partners Doosan and Thames Water to deliver it safely.’

Avtar Jirh, CEO of Doosan Enpure, added: ‘We are delighted to have been awarded this prestigious project with our partner BAM Nuttall and look forward to working for Thames Water again.’

The full detailed design of the works will commence immediately with construction works beginning in Autumn 2022. Completion of the new sewage treatment infrastructure is scheduled for early 2026.

Earlier this year, Thames Water ran an online consultation to allow residents to help shape a formal planning application for the works, which is expected to be submitted later in the year.

Find out more about the plans.