Bid timetable for £1bn Hawesworth Aqueduct upgrade

United Utilities has set out the tender timeframe to deliver a major upgrade and replacement tunnels for the Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme in the north west.It plans to overhaul the 109km pipeline that brings water from the Lake District to customers in Cumbria, Lancashire and Greater Manchester.The aqueduct supplies a third of the region’s drinking water every day but its condition is deteriorating.From Cumbria to Manchester six tunnel sections along the length of the aqueduct, which was completed in 1955, need to be replaced at an estimated cost of £800m to £1bn.United Utilities is planning a single procurement exercise with bidding consortia bringing together the relevant technical, construction and financing expertise to deliver the project.Preparations for HARP have begun with Costain onboard for early assessment and survey work of the aqueduct network. United Utilities is planning a round of industry consultation with construction work now planned to start in 2023.The project will take around 10 years to complete.HARP bid timetableMarch 2021 – publish contract noticeApril 2021 – PQQ Submission deadlineMay 2021 — invite successfully shortlisted bidders to tenderNovember 2021 — tender submissionFebruary 2022 – Best And Final OfferMarch 2022 – Award