We’ve rounded up some top news stories from across the Built Environment

National Rail Christmas and New Year engineering works complete

Network Rail have completed hundreds of Christmas and New Year projects across Britain’s railway. Giving you better and more reliable journeys for the long term. Read more…

Leaves on the line: a thing of the past?

Poor adhesion is now in the news following the collision between two trains at Salisbury Tunnel Junction, on the evening of 31 October. Read more…

Construction project starts dip but contract awards soar in mixed picture for sector

The number of construction projects started at the back end of the year has dropped sharply. However, a spike in contract awards indicates that the sector remains on track as it recovers from the Covid-19 hit. Read more…

Kier wins 142 rental home job at BBC TV centre site

Joint venture developer Stanhope, Mitsui Fudosan has picked Kier to build 142 affordable homes at its wider former BBC Television Centre development in West London. Read more…

Anglian Water CEO Peter Simpson says cross-sectoral collaboration crucial to tackle challenges and find solutions

It was a huge breakthrough to see water play a central role for the first time at any COP, with the first ever dedicated Water Pavilion and widespread acknowledgement that water is critical to the climate debate. Read more…

Water UK launches campaign to get the UK winter ready

Industry body Water UK is encouraging customers to take some immediate steps, such as lagging pipes and checking central heating, to ensure they stay safe and warm over the winter months. Read more…

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This weeks news from across the Built Environment

How storms and flooding affect the railway

Floods, high winds and landslips can destroy railway infrastructure and block lines. Network Rail teams repair damage and clear debris to ensure trains can continue to run. Read more…

Rail operator unveils first co-operative energy project on UK rail network

The new initiative is expected to save up to 50 tonnes of carbon a year, generating over 200,000 kW hours of electricity. Read more…

Government ‘collusion’ with construction sector allowed combustibles loophole

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry has told that hundreds of high-rise buildings in the UK were clad with combustible materials because the government failed to crack down on a loophole after colluding with the construction industry. Read more…

Glow-in-the-dark concrete used on first commercial scheme

A glow in the dark paving system that absorbs ultraviolet rays during the day and radiates light at night has been used for the first time on a major commercial development in Derbyshire. Read more…

Initiatives boost opportunities for women in water

British Water’s unique Women on Water campaign continues to build momentum, with the renewal of a successful mentoring programme and the announcement of an in-person networking reception. Read more…

Water retailers opt for new United Utilities in-house meter reading service

United Utilities has seen a growing uptake by water retailers of its non-household meter reading service – more than 90 per cent of non-household meters in the North West are now being read by the water company. Read more…

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The latest news across the water industry

Initiatives boost opportunities for women in water

British Water’s unique Women on Water campaign continues to build momentum, with the renewal of a successful mentoring programme and the announcement of an in-person networking reception. Read more…

Water retailers opt for new United Utilities in-house meter reading service

United Utilities has seen a growing uptake by water retailers of its non-household meter reading service – more than 90 per cent of non-household meters in the North West are now being read by the water company. Read more…

Sewage discharges cost Severn Trent Water £1.5 million+ in court

Severn Trent Water was yesterday fined £1.5 million and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £58, 365 for sewage discharges from 4 sewage treatment works in Worcestershire between February and August 2018.. Read more…

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The latest news across the built environment

Arcadis, Colas and Costain teams to battle for £500M HS2 power contract

HS2 Ltd has revealed the shortlist of bidders for its £523M high voltage power supply systems contract. Read more…

Crossrail | Another West London station transformed ahead of Elizabeth line opening

The transformation of West Ealing station in West London has been completed ahead of the Elizabeth line opening. Read more…

Common prequal system launches to save £1bn in paperwork

Two of the country’s largest contractor trade bodies have launched a nationally recognised single prequalification system for construction with the promise of saving £1bn in industry paperwork. Read more…

Brownfield housing funding for 500 Manchester new-builds

Manchester has secured nearly £8m from the Brownfield Housing Fund to help deliver around 522 new homes. Read more…

New measures to cut water companies’ reliance on storm overflows to discharge sewage into rivers to become law

The government has confirmed that measures to reduce sewage discharges from storm overflows will be put into law. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Yorkshire Water delivers carbon literacy course

Yorkshire Water has collaborated with one its framework partners, Galliford Try, to become the first company in the industry to run an accredited Carbon Literacy course. Read more…

Amey Black & Veatch jv uses dam to progress work on £15m Scottish Water environmental project

Engineers working in Glasgow have turned to dam building techniques during the latest phase of a multi-million pound project to help improve the environment and water quality in the River Kelvin. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Bristol Water introduces new intelligent pumping and storage optimisation system

Bristol Water has introduced a new intelligent pumping and storage optimisation system that chooses the times the company pumps water, which pumps to use, and the route the water takes through the system. Read more…

Severn Trent named as top performer in gender balance report

Severn Trent has been named as one of the top performing companies for gender diversity and the number of women occupying senior leadership roles. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Southern Water wins top prize for Risk Management Programme of the Year

Southern Water has won the top prize for Risk Management Programme of the year at the CIR Risk Awards held in London on 6 November. Read more…

Wastewater used to warm up heat network

Heat harnessed from wastewater from Scottish Water’s treatment works in Forthside is being used to heat a number of buildings in the Forthside area of Stirling. Read more…

Anglian Water protecting eels in River Nene

Anglian Water has completed work to install a brand-new eel screen at its site in Peterborough as part of a significant programme of works designed to make a difference to the endangered species. Read more…

Scottish Water trial shows innovative technology has potential to revolutionise waste water treatment

An innovative new technology developed in the United States which aims to revolutionise the way the world’s waste water can be processed has delivered promising results at an extensive UK trial. Read more…

Water UK appoints new Chief Executive

Water UK’s new chief executive is Christine McGourty, who will join the water and sewerage industry’s trade body on 16th December 2019. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Thames Water awards £10m+ information and data management services contract

Thames Water has awarded a contract for a nearshore/offshore team to be responsible for the day-to-day operations managing its information and data management services by utilising a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) model worth an estimated £10 million-plus. Read more…

Southern Water awards £60m IT software and hardware reseller framework contract

Southern Water has awarded an IT software and hardware reseller framework contract worth an estimated £60 million. Read more…

Scottish Water starts £5.2bn infrastructure bid race

Scottish Water has formally opened bidding for a major infrastructure framework that could be worth up to £5.2bn over 12 years. Read more…

New trustees appointed at WaterAid

Four new trustees, who were appointed at the international charity’s Annual General Meeting in London on 11 October, have joined WaterAid’s Board of Trustees. Read more…

PR19 final determinations delayed due to election clash

Ofwat has pushed back its announcement of final determinations for the 2019 price review until Monday 16 December because of the general election. Read more…

ECS works with EA to protect South East from flooding

ECS Engineering Services has signed a new Flood and Coastal Risk Management (FCRM) Agreement for the South East with the Environment Agency (EA). Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Welsh Water appoints new director for water services

Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has strengthened its water services operational team by appointing Dr Simon Earl as its new director for water services. Read more…

Thames Water publishes environmental statement

Thames Water has published its second Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) statement. Read more…

AI technology being adopted by water companies

Stantec and AECOM have both agreed partnerships with EnginSoft in an effort to help water companies adopt artificial intelligence (AI) technology to accelerate the water network assessment process. Read more…

Eric Wright Water expands team to support framework

Eric Wright Water has made a number of key appointments following its appointment to three frameworks for Yorkshire Water. Read more…

Yorkshire Water appoints Smith Brothers for £55m AMP7 high voltage electrical framework

Electrical engineering firm, Smith Brothers Contracting, has secured a position on Yorkshire Water’s high-voltage (HV) electrical design, build, and specialist studies services framework – which carries a total forecast value of up to £55 million. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

John Belgrove, Senior Partner at Aon, appointed Chair of Investment Leaders Group

John Belgrove, Senior Partner at global professional services firm Aon, has been appointed Chair of the Investment Leaders Group (ILG), a group of 12 leading pension funds, insurers and asset managers convened by the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL). Read more…

Anglian Water starts work on new £6.5m Norwich to Ludham pipeline

Anglian Water engineers will begin work next week to install nearly 3km of new pipeline which will enable the company to move water from its Water Treatment Works in Norwich to Ludham in order to maintain water supplies to 3,000 homes. Read more…

NI Water awards £25m contract for Software System Engineers (SSEs) services

NI Water has awarded a contract for Software System Engineers (SSEs) services worth an estimated £25 million in total. Read more…

Speakers inspire Women in Water campaign

Delegates to the second Women in Water conference organised by British Water have embraced the trade association’s campaign to support women in the industry. Read more…

Yorkshire Water awards £4m AMP7 telemetry equipment contract

Yorkshire Water has awarded a contract for network telemetry pressure and flow loggers worth an estimated £4 million. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Severn Trent named in top three in UK Social Mobility Index

Midlands water and waste company Severn Trent has been named as one of the top companies for helping social mobility in the country. Read more…

South West Water takes major step in controlling bursts and reducing service interruptions

South West Water has become the first UK water company to become self-sufficient in installing Advanced Valve Technologies’ (AVT) EZ Valve™ kits, acquiring new equipment and expertise to help control burst situations and reduce service interruptions to customers. Read more…

Yorkshire Water awards £1bn AMP7 MEICA Frameworks

Yorkshire Water has awarded £1billion AMP7 Complex and Minor MEICA Frameworks, covering new build and refurbishment works for all mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, control and automation assets. Read more…

South West Water completes work on new scheme to protect Plymouth’s bathing waters

South West Water has completed upgrade work on the sewer network in Lipson Vale to protect Plymouth’s bathing waters. Read more…

Amey announces 5% spending commitment with social enterprises by 2023

Leading infrastructure provider and consultancy Amey has announced an ambitious four-year spending target with social enterprises, making it the first strategic supplier to commit a percentage of its addressable spend to businesses who use their profits to create positive, social change. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Black & Veatch appoints leakage services manager

Black & Veatch has appointed Stuart White to the newly-created role of leakage services manager. Read more…

App cuts carbon emissions on Severn Trent contract

A smartphone and tablet app which allows supervisors to remotely collect real-time data has helped Amey cut CO2 emissions by 75 tonnes, according to the infrastructure firm. Read more…

Atkins appointed as designer for Havant reservoir

Portsmouth Water has appointed Atkins as principal designer on the Havant Thicket Reservoir, which the first new reservoir to be built in the South East since the 1970s. Read more…

Severn Trent welcomes new starters onto leadership programme

Severn Trent has welcomed 20 starters onto its leadership programme. Read more…

Yorkshire Water signs up to Natural Capital Commitment

Yorkshire Water has signed up to the Natural Capital Commitment which will see the utility commit to working with partner organisations, and working with nature, to create better outcomes for the environment, together with sharing the outcomes of its natural capital assessments publicly. Read more…

NI Water completes £5m Belfast sewer project

NI Water has announced the completion of a major £5 million project which involved the upgrade of major sewers within the Ormeau Avenue/Lower Ormeau Road, Dublin Road, Bruce Street, Sandy Row and Joy Street areas of Belfast. Read more…

EA sets 2030 net zero emissions aim

The Environment Agency has set itself the aim of becoming a net zero organisation by 2030. Read more…

Scottish Water reaches energy milestone

Scottish Water has reached a milestone in energy self-generation at its water and wastewater treatment works across Scotland. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

United Utilities enters top 20 rank in FTSE climate change report

United Utilities has entered the top 20 ranking of a climate change business leaderboard for the UK which ranks FTSE 100 companies on sustainability performance reporting. Read more…

Anglian Water awards hydraulic modelling software contract

Anglian Water has awarded a contract for hydraulic modelling software, licensing, support and maintenance. Read more…

VSBW jv named main contractor for £100m Southsea coastal defence scheme

VSBW, a joint venture between VolkerStevin and Boskalis Westminster has been appointed as the main contractor for delivering new sea defences in Southsea worth £100 million. Read more…

Southern Water signs inclusion commitment

Southern Water has signed up a new commitment to become more inclusive and connect with underrepresented groups. Read more…

Portsmouth Water awards £3m Havant Thicket reservoir design services contract

Portsmouth Water has awarded a £3 million design services contract for its £106 million flagship Havant Thicket winter storage reservoir project. Read more…

Northumbrian Water and CGI develop real-time water sensor prototype

Real-time water sensors placed in rivers across the North East could soon transform protection of the water environment – and even help bring high-speed internet connectivity to rural communities. Read more…

Siemens and Grundfos join forces to tackle wastewater

Siemens and Grundfos have signed a digital partnership framework, which will see the two companies focus on wastewater applications, industrial automation and building technology. Read more…

Seymour appointed to Yorkshire Water framework

Seymour Civil Engineering has been appointed to Yorkshire Water’s Minor Civil Framework, which will cover requirements across its entire operational area. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Yorkshire Water helps improve farm soil health

More than 250 farms in Yorkshire, covering nearly 10 per cent of the region’s arable land, have seen an improvement in soil health as the result of farming programmes led by Yorkshire Water and food supply chain consultant Future Food Solutions. Read more…

Thames Water recognised as global leader for sustainability

Thames Water has again been recognised as an industry leader for its commitment to the environment in a global survey. Read more…

Anglian and Thames join new CISL Europe-based climate leadership group

Anglian Water and Thames Water have joined a new leadership group launched by the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) to accelerate climate action in Europe. Read more…

Anglian teams up with Riverfly on wildlife monitoring

Anglian Water is teaming up with the Riverfly Partnership, as part of the Cam and Ely Ouse catchment partnership (CamEO), to offer training workshops in gathering wildlife data. Read more…

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From the start, it was clear that Andy Ridout had big ambitions for his new business, and that finding likeminded individuals who would have the right drive and hunger would play a central role in making Advance TRS one of the best in its industry.

This September marks Advance TRS’s 8th birthday, and the business has come a long way since its humble origins in 2011. Starting as a one-man band, Andy, Group Managing Director quickly grew the business from strength to strength.

The technical recruitment agency has successfully attracted some of the best recruiters and business professionals to the team, bringing with them an impressive 150 years’ combined industry experience, and are not planning to stop.

Andy’s goal to more than double the workforce in the next couple of years is on track as the business continues to grow the two offices, with plans for more locations on the table. One of our latest recruits, Alex Shaw, has recently joined our South Coast team.

But not only do we boast impressive industry knowledge and experience, but the business also put a big emphasis on our colleagues’ mental health and wellbeing. Advance TRS have appointed trained mental health first aiders and have recently been shortlisted as Finalists in the Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing category in the Solent Business Awards 2019.

Whilst continuing to grow and improve the business, Advance TRS maintain committed to providing excellent customer service to both candidates and clients alike. With business development plans firmly rooted in our five Core Values of Quality, Commitment, Integrity, Honesty and Loyalty, Advance TRS aims to continue this pattern of growth whilst maintaining our strong reputation as dependable, effective and honest.

“Advance TRS’ success has been proven that hard work and a dedication to delivering excellent service pays off” Andy explains, reflecting on the last 8 years.

“Now, the team and I continue to be more motivated than ever to continue this sensational track record of growth and are excited for what the future brings.”

If you’re a driven individual who likes to contribute to their brand’s success then we’d love to hear from you. 

Advance TRS is growing quickly, so we are always looking for new people to join the team. If you are interested to find out more about our current opportunities, visit our website or for a discrete conversation, contact Paul Metcalfe, Advance TRS CEO on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Study claims 99.9% of microplastics removed from UK drinking water

More than 99.9% of microplastics are removed from British drinking water through treatment processes, according to a new study. The research carried out by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and commissioned by UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) found that untreated raw water contained on average 4.9 microplastics per litre while water that has gone through a treatment process contained only 0.00011 microplastics per litre. Read more…

Government announces £62m of flood defence funding

Ministers have announced 13 flood defence projects across England will receive a share of £62 million of government funding. The environment secretary Theresa Villiers has announced a new round of flood defence investment for schemes in Yorkshire, Cumbria, the North East and the South East of England. Read more…

AI tool for wastewater sewer networks launches

An artificial intelligence (AI) analytics tool for wastewater sewer networks and water recycling centres has been launched by Detectronic. DetecAnalytics has been developed by the monitoring specialist in partnership with the international engineering, technology and software company, Royal HaskoningDHV. Read more…

Tullich Water Treatment Works officially opens

Scottish Water’s £29 million Tullich Water Treatment Works in Oban has been officially opened by Argyll and Bute MSP Michael Russell. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Sustainable drainage system cleans up stretch of M56

A sustainable drainage system, which can protect water from toxic metals, has been installed on a busy stretch of the M56 motorway. Read more…

Severn Trent turns to Brazilian biomass to clean wastewater

Severn Trent has revealed it is importing biomass from Brazil, as part of a new approach to clean wastewater. Read more…

Thames Water completes sewage treatment works upgrade

Thames Water has announced that upgrade works at the Deephams sewage works are now complete. Read more…

Protecting one of Scotland’s Great Rivers

A challenging project to replace a vital pipe crossing which spans the River Spey at Fochabers in Moray is now complete. The £1.2 million project will help to safeguard Scotland’s fastest flowing river, world renowned for its salmon fishery, from the risk of pollution. Read more…

RAA to lead integrated urban drainage guidance update

Hydraulic modelling specialist Richard Allitt Associates (RAA) has been appointed to take the lead on updating the industry standard guidance on integrated urban drainage with AECOM. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Securing wastewater treatment fit for the future

As population growth puts pressure on wastewater treatment plant capacity, WPL technical director Andrew Baird makes the case for better understanding and greater flexibility. Read More…

Servelec Technologies completes acquisition of Primayer

Servelec Technologies has announced it has completed the acquisition of water network leak detection and location company Primayer. Read More…

Lanes Group to support staff with trauma risk management

Lanes Group has announced that it has become the first service provider in the water utility industry to support its staff by using trauma risk management (TRiM). Read More…

Yorkshire Water, University of York team up on UK-first AD project

Yorkshire Water and the University of York have begun work on a new project that they hope will transform the anaerobic digestion process and reduce the company’s carbon footprint as well as cutting customer bills. Read More…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

nmcn secures AMP7 framework with South Staffs Water

nmcn has secured a framework for the design and build to upgrade major water treatment works in the South Staffs region as part of an investment estimated to be around £60 million. Read More…

Irish Water considers expanding use of solar

Irish Water has announced that it is considering the use of solar energy at water and wastewater treatment plants across the country following the success of a pilot programme. Read More…

Yorkshire Water first in sector to eliminate chlorine gas

Yorkshire Water has announced that has become the first company in the water sector to eliminate all ageing chlorine and sulphur dioxide gas use from its water treatment works in a bid remove any risk of toxic gas escapes. Read More…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Onsite Assessment Bolsters Wastewater Technician Training

An overhaul of British water’s wastewater treatment technicians’ training means plant operatives will now undertake onsite assessment to complete the course. The requirement has been made more rigorous to raise standards and incorporate larger plant sizes, up to 1,000 population equivalent (PE). Read More…

Welsh Water CEO Jones To Retire In March

Welsh Water chief executive Chris Jones has decided to retire from the company at the end of March 2020. Jones has served as a director at Welsh Water for nearly 25 years and was a founder of the Glas Cymru not-for-profit ownership model.The requirement has been made more rigorous to raise standards and incorporate larger plant sizes, up to 1,000 population equivalent (PE). Read More…

Scottish Water Horizons Takes Part In Innovative Energy Project

Flexible energy specialist Flexitricity has announced that it has partnered with eight organisations across a range of sectors to trial an innovative solution with the potential to revolutionise the demand side response (DSR) industry. Read More…

Southern Water To Cut Customer Service Jobs

Southern Water has confirmed that many customer service roles will be moving to outsourcing giant Capita. The company said in a statement on its website that it is “two years into a challenging business transformation programme” after the BBC reported that around 200 customer service jobs could be cut at its Worthing and Falmer offices. Read More…

Thames Water Uses Military Tanker To Keep Sewers Running

Thames Water is using a tanker designed for use by the military and united nations relief teams to keep its sewers running smoothly. The JHL recycling jet vac tanker is being used by the company to access remote sewers and culverts across the most difficult terrain, helping to prevent pollution in more isolated locations. Read More…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

G20 agrees global action to reduce ocean plastic

20 environment ministers have agreed to adopt a new voluntary framework of actions to tackle the issue of marine plastic waste on a global scale. Environment and energy ministers of the Group of 20 major economies met in Karuizawa (15-16 June), northwest of Tokyo, ahead of the G20 summit in Osaka, western Japan (28-29 June). Read more…

Ofwat calls for views on developing water resources market

Water regulator Ofwat is seeking views from interested parties about the development and implementation of a bilateral market in water resources in England. A bilateral market would allow water resource providers, other than the incumbent water company, to contract directly for the supply of water resources with retailers operating in the business retail market. Read more…

Light appointed new CCWater chair

Ensuring water consumers’ views shape the decisions of water companies, regulators and policymakers and building a more resilient water sector that reflects people’s growing concern for the environment will be among the most pressing priorities for the new chair of the Consumer Council for Water (CCWater). Read more…

Monitoring technology guide launched by British Water

A live guide to drinking water and wastewater monitoring technology and services has been launched by industry trade association British Water. The web-based document includes clear definitions of monitoring components, parameters and the monitoring requirements of different applications, along with direct links to suppliers able to provide suitable equipment. Read more…

Water firms explore new relationship with energy

Delegates at WWT’s Water Industry Energy Conference heard contributions and shared ideas on optimising energy usage and saving costs. Energy managers and leaders from the UK’s water companies met in Birmingham last week for a day of knowledge-sharing and debate on the future of energy use and generation in the UK water sector. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Utilities urged to map out digital future

Containing insights from 40 utilities and 20 industry thought leaders globally, the white paper – entitled Digital Water: Industry Leaders Chart the Transformation Journey – urges water leaders to think boldly about their digital future and the impact they can create for their broader watersheds and communities. Read more…

Sainsbury’s to trial reverse vending at Lincoln store

Supermarket giant, Sainsbury’s, has announced it will be trialling reverse vending at its Lincoln store that will collect plastic bottles and metal cans from customers. Read more…

Wessex Water home visits save one million litres

A Wessex Water scheme to make homes more water efficient has helped to save one million litres. Read more…

Housing developments need 200-metre waste site restriction

The Environmental Services Association (ESA) has called for housing developments to be prevented from encroaching within 200 metres of existing waste management facilities. Read more…

Thames partners with police to promote priority services register

Thames Water has partnered with Thames Valley Police as part of a major drive to help individuals and families who need extra support. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Biffa ups investment in plastic bottle recycling facility to £27.5m

Waste management firm Biffa has announced it will expand the capacity and scope of its new PET plastic bottle recycling facility in County Durham, increasing its total investment to £27.5m, which will take its combined plastics processing capacity to c120,000 tonnes p.a. Read more…

Wessex Water appoints two non-executive directors

Wessex Water has appointed two independent non-executive directors, Kate Mingay and Jim McKenna, to its board. Read more…

National Drought Group agrees support for farmers and wildlife

A National Drought Group (NDG) meeting was convened yesterday (4 June) to review water resources ahead of summer, following a dry winter and spring which has affected river flows and groundwater levels. Read more…

Waitrose unveils package free ‘pick and mix’ trial

A dedicated refillable zone, the UK’s first supermarket frozen ‘pick and mix’ and first borrow-a-box scheme are among a series of ideas being looked at in a unique test from Waitrose & Partners, which has the potential to save thousands of tonnes of unnecessary plastic and packaging. Read more…

Thames Water to build first new sewage works since 2005

Thames Water’s new chief operating officer has announced the company will build its first sewage works since 2005, in Guildford, Surrey. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Record streak continues: Britain closes in on 12 days straight without coal

At more than 280 hours and counting, could the UK see its first entire fortnight without coal power by the end of the week? Read more…

SDS acquires Waterscan’s water recycling business

Water infrastructure systems supplier SDS has announced its acquisition of the water recycling division of Waterscan Ltd and affirmed its strategic vision to advance the development of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) for water reuse. Read more…

New 2,300-property development near Edinburgh gets connected

Scottish Water Horizons has completed work to connect the third phase of a new 2,300 property village near Edinburgh to Scottish Water’s network. Read more…

IEMA sets out sustainability assurances needed from government

Leading bodies from business, environment and professional institutions (including CIWM) have set out key assurances “needed” from Government to put sustainability at the heart of the UK’s economic model. Read more…

EV charge points outstrip petrol stations for first time ever

There are now more EV charging locations than petrol stations in the UK, according to the latest industry data. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Southern Water targets invasive species with extra training

Southern Water is working to train up its staff and contractors to help recognise invasive non-native species (INNS). Read more…

Gove takes action to ban plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds

Environment Secretary Michael Gove has today (22 May) confirmed a ban on plastic straws, drinks stirrers, and plastic stemmed cotton buds in England, following overwhelming public support for the move. Read more…

Severn Trent and Nottinghamshire council team up on flooding

Severn Trent has worked in partnership with Nottinghamshire County Council to provide additional flood protection to over 40 homes as part of its £60 million project to improve the water and waste network in Newark. Read more…

Unilever pioneers detectable pigment for black plastic

Unilever has pioneered the use of a new detectable black pigment for its High Density Polyethelyne (HDPE) bottles for its leading brands, TRESemmé and Lynx, so they can be detected by recycling plant scanners and sorted for recycling. Read more…

Deephams wins ICE ‘Greatest Contribution to London’ award

Thames Water’s £250 million Deephams sewage works upgrade won the ‘Greatest Contribution to London’ trophy at the ICE London Civil Engineering Awards. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

Meet the UK’s first Climate Change Teacher

Bec Wakefield becomes the first UK teacher to become accredited under the UN’s Climate Change Teacher pilot programme. Read more…

Downing starts £250m London student tower

Liverpool-based developer Downing has started work on its largest London project to date. Read more…

Thames saving 20 million litres a day after 250,000 home visits

Thames Water has now helped 250,000 homes save 20 million litres of water every day as part of its award-winning smarter home visit project. Read more…

Network Rail announces £136m contract winner to manage its road vehicle fleet

Network Rail has awarded a £136m contract to Hitachi Capital to manage its road vehicle fleet for the next four years. Read more…

Plan for 1,300-home led scheme near Harrow

Housing association Network Homes has bought land next to Northwick Park Hospital in Brent to kick-start a major regeneration project, bringing new homes and commercial space to the area. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Northumbrian Water in roadside mapping project

Northumbrian Water vans are about to get smarter as a result of a new project with Ordnance Survey and intel company Mobileye. Read more…

Scotland’s 20p DRS Will Include Aluminium And Glass

Scotland’s new Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) will include aluminium and steel cans as well as drinks containers made of glass and Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic with a 20p deposit as part of plans to combat climate change. Read more…

Exciting time for water sensors, says Ofwat director

It is an exciting time for the roll-out of sensors in the water industry, Ofwat associate director Alison Fergusson has said, in advance of her appearance at the Sensing in Water conference. Read more…

New Project To Explore Fate Of Electricals And E-Waste

A new study has been announced that will look the fate and destination of electricals and electronics to support strategies on WEEE collection and reporting. Read more…

Pesticide amnesty helps environment for South East Water

An anonymous pesticide amnesty sponsored by South East Water has enabled the safe removal of over a tonne of unused and out-of-date pesticides from farms in Kent. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

Barclays announce further cuts to HTB rates

Barclays has announced that from tomorrow, new rate reductions on Help to Buy mortgage products will come into effect. Read more…

£14m Peak District rail freight extension unveiled

A £14m rail freight extension in the Peak District has been unveiled by Network Rail to boost construction productivity and take lorries off the road. Read more…

Which UK city has been crowned the best for families?

Now in its third year, the annual Family Living Index from MoneySuperMarket reveals this year’s best and worst locations in the UK to raise a family. Read more…

Driverless dump trucks used for first time on A14 site

Earthmoving contractor CA Blackwell has put self-driving trucks to work for the first time on Britain’s biggest road upgrade. Read more…

EA, OS and SEPA develop ‘MasterMap’ of Britain’s watercourses

Ordnance Survey (OS), the Environment Agency (EA) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) have collaborated to bring together a nationally consistent view of Great Britain’s watercourses. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

Spotlight on earthworks

Extreme weather increases the risks that people and property are typically exposed to. Read more…

Digital UK map of buried utilities to save lives

Work is starting on an ambitious project to draw up a digital map of all UK underground pipes and cables to end strikes and save workers lives. Read more…

Be First appoints McLaren for Barking town regeneration scheme

Be First has confirmed the appointment of McLaren Construction to construct 169 affordable and shared ownership homes at the heart of Barking Town Centre. Read more…

Siemens Mobility submits plans for Goole rolling stock plant

Siemens Mobility has submitted an outline planning application for a £200m rolling stock plant at Goole in East Yorkshire which would manufacture and commission vehicles for the UK market. Read more…

£45m Edinburgh concert hall gets green light

Edinburgh’s first purpose-built music and performance venue for over 100 years has got the green light from city planners. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Thames Water battles giant ‘concreteberg’

Thames Water is removing a record-busting ‘concreteberg’ from under the streets of central London after discovering an industrial amount of solidified cement plugging three Victorian sewers. Read more…

Southern Water bans anti-nesting nets in projects

Southern Water has banned the use of nets intended to prevent birds nesting in trees and bushes as part of its engineering projects. Read more…

Apple Announces “Major Expansion” Of Recycling Programmes

Apple has announced a major expansion of its recycling programmes, quadrupling the number of locations US customers can send their iPhone to be disassembled by Daisy, its recycling robot. Read more…

CCWater wants all companies to adopt compensation changes

The Consumer Council for Water (CCWater) has praised seven water companies for boosting compensation for people that are left without running water and called on the rest of the industry to follow suit. Read more…

Energy and Utility Skills joins with Youth Employment UK

Energy & Utility Skills has launched a collaborative partnership with Youth Employment UK to encourage more young people into the energy and utility sector. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

Planning permission for new homes in Newham gets green light

Mount Anvil and ExCeL London have secured a resolution to grant planning permission from Newham’s Strategic Development Committee for phases two and three of its development located in the London Borough of Newham. Read more…

VINCI starts work on new £100m Birmingham hospital

VINCI Construction UK has started work on a new £100m specialist hospital facility in Birmingham. Read more…

Cost of deposit return scheme “largely outweighs gains”, says IEA

The running costs of the government’s proposed deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks cans and bottles is a very expensive way of achieving very little, according to a new briefing from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA). Read more…

Welsh Water selects CoMag system for phosphorus removal

Dwr Cymru Welsh Water and its design and construction partner Mott Macdonald Bentley have selected Evoqua Water Technologies’ CoMag system for phosphorus removal at two of its wastewater treatment plants. Read more…

First of CAF’s new Nova fleet accepted by TPE ahead of rollout across north of England

The first of TransPennine Express’s (TPE) Nova 3 fleet has been officially accepted after completing testing with its manufacturer CAF. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Wokingham collects 66 tonnes of food waste in first week

Some 66 tonnes of food waste was collected during the first week of a new separate collection in Wokingham, the borough council has announced. Read more…

Infrastructure leaders launch ambitious health and safety plan

Leaders from across UK infrastructure are joining forces in 2019 to make an ambitious step change in the safety, health and wellbeing of everyone involved in major infrastructure projects in the UK. Read more…

Scottish Water innovation centre now running at full capacity

One of the UK water industry’s most unique development centres is working at full capacity for the first time since its launch less than three years ago – testing innovative treatment technologies with the aim of making processes greener, cheaper and faster. Read more…

Cost of deposit return scheme “largely outweighs gains”, says IEA

The running costs of the government’s proposed deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks cans and bottles is a very expensive way of achieving very little, according to a new briefing from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA). Read more…

South East Water in smart metering deal

South East Water is taking part in a digital water meter trial which could revolutionise the way the water industry detects and prevents leaks. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Most utility customers prefer digital billing, finds survey

Two-thirds of utility customers would rather receive their bills for gas, electricity and water digitally, according to a survey of 2,000 consumers commissioned by multichannel communications expert Opus Trust Communications. Read more…

Largest water filtration system in Europe installed in Norwich

Anglian Water has begun installing a state-of-the-art filtration system at its Water Treatment Works in Norwich as part of its £36million scheme to keep customers’ taps running for decades to come. Read more…

Water companies launch World Water Innovation Fund

Water companies including Severn Trent and United Utilities are joining forces to form the World Water Innovation Fund, which aims to find, develop and accelerate the ground- breaking technologies that will make a real difference to peoples’ lives across the world. Read more…

Arup and Costain secure Yorkshire Water contract

 

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 The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

Buyer registrations jump 16% in February

The latest data and analysis from national estate agent, haart, has revealed that pent-up demand possibly fuelled by the Brexit waiting game has seen buyer registrations jump 16% on the month. Read more…

DfT’s £300m scheme to see disabled access at 73 railway stations improved

The DfT has announced a £300m investment to see disabled access improved at 73 UK rail stations. Read more…

No Deal Interim Environmental “Shadow Body” Announced

Environment Secretary Michael Gove has announced that an interim environmental “shadow body” is in place in the event the UK leaves the EU without a deal in place. Read more…

British Water members not keen on water nationalisation

Companies across the water supply chain believe that the Labour Party’s plan to nationalise English water companies would negatively impact their businesses as well as customers, according to a survey by British Water. Read more…

Kier picked for £200m Camberley town centre revamp

The development arm of Kier has been named preferred bidder to deliver the £200m redevelopment of part of Camberley town centre in Surrey. Read more…

 

 

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 The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

 

 

Northumbrian fits eel screens in river intakes

Northumbrian Water is installing special screens at its water intake in Warkworth on the River Coquet to protect eels, in the first part of a £9M project. Read more…

Jaguar Land Rover To Recycle Aluminium From Own Vehicles

Jaguar Land Rover is developing the next phase of its aluminium closed loopstrategy with an innovative recycling initiative to transform the vehicles of today into the cars of tomorrow. Read more…

Tesco Trials Technology That “Makes All Plastic Packaging Recyclable”

Supermarket giant, Tesco, is set to trial a collection scheme this week that will see previously unrecycled plastic turned back into oil. Read more…

Ryanair becomes first airline to enter top 10 ranking of EU carbon polluters

Ryanair is now one of the highest emitters under the EU’s Emission Trading System (EU ETS), with official data released yesterday suggesting the airline has become the first non-coal plant to enter the… Read more…

Companies submit revised PR19 business plans to Ofwat

The majority of water companies in England and Wales have re-submitted their PR19 business plans to Ofwat today (1 April). Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

Microplastics are most common waste found along Mediterranean coast, study says

Polyethylene used to make plastic shopping bags and cling film forms most of plastic found in coastal waters, according to marine scientists from University of Barcelona. Read more…

EU re-approves NI water protection plans

The EU has given its re-approval for plans to protect water quality in Northern Ireland. Read more…

Graham wins £18m Carlisle cancer centre

Graham has been awarded an £18.3m contract to design and construct the new cancer centre at Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle for North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust. Read more…

Network Rail to spend £42bn on railway improvements to ‘restore public trust’

Network Rail is to spend £42bn on the railway over the next five years in a bid to improve poor punctuality in “the biggest modernisation of our rail network in over a century.” Read more…

Heathrow shortlists 18 construction hub sites

Heathrow Airport today revealed 18 sites left in the running to become construction hubs for the third runway project. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

 

 

MGJV secures £14.6M pipeline contract with Southern

The joint venture between Galliford Try and Morrison Utility Services (MGJV) has been awarded a £14.6 million contract by framework client Southern Water to lay a 10km pipeline in West Sussex. Read more…

Clancy Docwra, Kier secure leakage detection contract with Anglian

Clancy Docwra and Kier have been awarded a contract to carry out leakage detection services for Anglian Water as part of the IMR Water alliance. Read more…

Ofgem grants price cap derogation extension to three firms

Energy industry regulator Ofgem has extended the derogation it has given to three renewable energy suppliers in relation to the standard variable tariff (SVT) price cap. Read more…

Shell Energy: First Utility rebranded as over 700,000 customers are switched to renewable power

Shell has today further underlined its growing interest in the power and renewables sector, announcing today that First Utility is to rebranded as Shell Energy and will from today provide over 700,000…Read more…

UK’s Largest Waste Wood Gasifier Becomes Operational

Bioenergy Infrastructure Group (“BIG”), an independent power producer specialising in energy-from-waste and biomass, has announced that one of its largest assets in the UK, Ince Bio Power, has become fully operational after successfully completing its testing phase. Read more…

 

 

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 The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

 

 

IKEA and shipping giant CMA CGM to pilot first sustainable marine biofuel

Swedish furniture retailer teams up with shipping giant CMA CGM, GoodShipping Program and Port of Rotterdam to test marine biofuel made from forest residues and waste cooking oil. Read more…

Proposals To Tackle Non-Compliant Products Sold Online

Defra has published proposals to tackle non-compliant products sold through online marketplaces. Read more…

Mott MacDonald, Microsoft team up on smart infrastructure

Mott MacDonald and Microsoft have announced a strategic partnership to deliver smart infrastructure. Read more…

Biffa Acquires Specialist Waste Recycling Limited

Integrated waste management company Biffa has announced that it has today (12 March) acquired Specialist Waste Recycling Limited (‘SWRNewstar’), from a consortium of investors including Angus MacDonald OBE. Read more…

Tony Juniper appointed chair of Natural England

Environment Secretary Michael Gove has confirmed that Tony Juniper CBE will be the new Chair of Natural England. Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

 

 

AquaPea leak system finding success in insurance sector

Innovations company Qinov8 has partnered with Auger, a tech specialist for the insurance industry, on the AquaPea leak repair system for water supply pipes. Read more…

Innovative household leakage technology set to appeal to home insurers

A ‘smart leak defence’ system which protects against water leaks in UK homes and properties is set to launch, with the promise of appealing to home insurers. Read more…

Plastic-Free Paper Cup Inventor Among Female Pioneers Awarded Funding

Pioneering female inventors have been recognised today (8 March) for innovations including a process to make disposable coffee cups waterproof without the need to use plastic. Read more…

Severn Trent begins £6M refurb of 100-year-old boreholes

Severn Trent has started work to refurbish two century-old boreholes in Wolverhampton to ensure customers continue to receive a reliable supply of drinking water in the area. Read more…

Yorkshire Water publishes ethnic pay gap

Yorkshire Water has revealed that its mean ethnic pay gap is 3 per cent and, after becoming one of the first companies in the county to publish, has encouraged others to follow suit. Read more…

 

 

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 The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

 

Llangollen railway: Funding bid to finish steam project

After 45 years of building a railway line between two Denbighshire towns, volunteers say they need £10,000 to finish the last stretch. Read more…

O’Rourke seals £70m Oxford Uni biochem project

Laing O’Rourke has finally signed a contract with the University of Oxford for phase two expansion of its acclaimed biochemistry building. Read more…

Thames Water turns up pressure on water thieves

Thames Water is ramping up the pressure on those who illegally tap into supplies and steal water after four separate offenders were heavily fined in court. Read more…

NatWest lifts DSS restrictions on BTL landlords following campaign

NatWest is lifting restrictions on buy-to-let landlords to allow them to let to tenants in receipt of housing benefit. Read more…

UK Collaboration Awarded £0.8m For Tech To Tackle Black Plastic

A unique project born from a collaboration between recycling compliance scheme Ecosurety, plastic innovations specialist Impact Solutions, recycling specialists Impact Recycling and plastics injection moulder company McLaren Plastics has been awarded £0.8 million by the Government’s Innovate UK grant scheme. Read more…

 

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 The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

 

 

Interserve considers alternative rescue plan

Interserve has said its board is now considering an alternative to the rescue plan announced earlier this month. Read more…

New membrane system promises industrial wastewater breakthrough

A new pilot plant to treat industrial wastewater is being built that could potentially reduce the amount of liquid waste by over 90 per cent. Read more…

Water retailers need to do better on complaints, says CCWater

Water retailers must do more to turn the tide of non-household complaints received by the Consumer Council for Water (CCWater), says the water watchdog. Read more…

UU sewer workers praised for tackling Liverpool fire

Two quick-thinking sewer workers have been praised by United Utilities bosses after tackling a blaze at a house in Liverpool. Read more…

Irish Water apologises for activated sludge spill

Irish Water has apologised to the public after a tank failure at Dublin’s Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant caused a significant discharge of activated sludge into the estuary of the River Liffey. Read more…

 

 

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A personal statement is usually the opening paragraph on your CV. It should be a short summary about you, to help employers see how you view yourself as a person and as an employee.

We’ve put together three simple tips for writing your personal statement:

How long should it be?

Your personal statement should be one paragraph, aiming for a minimum of 5 lines up to a maximum of 12 lines on a word document. If you’re looking for a word count, aim for up to 150 words.

If it’s too long, you risk repeating yourself and rambling too much!

If it’s too short, you’re not selling yourself enough!

What should it include?

You need to think about three key questions:

    • Who are you and what do you currently do?
    • What are your career goals?
    • What can you offer to your next employer, that could make you stand out above the rest?

Can I keep the same one for every job I apply for?

All job requirements are different. If you have the time, it would be beneficial to adapt your personal statement each time you apply for a job, so you can make it as relevant as possible to the role you are applying for. Make sure you do your research on the specific requirements the employer is asking for, both for the job and personal skills.

Remember, your personal statement gives you a chance to sell yourself in one paragraph. The rest of your CV is your work experience and your qualifications, so this gives you the opportunity to add that personal touch.

Here’s an example we’ve put together:

“As an experienced project manager, I have a proactive approach which has resulted in numerous successful completions of important projects across the rail industry. I am now coming to the end of my current project and am seeking a new challenge. I am a reliable and well-organised manager, bringing various expertise and knowledge to the table. I have extensive experience across the board and my attention to detail and communication skills is what makes me stand out from the rest.

TOP TIP

Make sure you ask someone to read through this for you to pick up any spelling or grammatical errors! You can’t always see these when you are writing yourself.

The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

First-time buyer numbers hit 12-year high during 2018

The latest data and analysis from UK Finance has revealed that despite ‘challenging’ market conditions and the ongoing Brexit and political circus, first-time-buyer numbers reached a 12-year peak during last year. Read more…

Rainwater used for sewer jetting in Northumbrian initiative

Northumbrian Water has started using harvested rainwater in jetting operations to clear sewer blockages, as an alternative to using clean, treated water for the purpose. Read more…

East West Rail makes ‘powerful case’ for direct services from Ipswich and Norwich to Oxford

A direct rail link between Ipswich, Norwich and Oxford could unlock £17.5bn for the East Anglia community, according to a case for investment from the East West Rail Consortium (EWRC). Read more…

SSE becomes last of the big six to raise prices for customers

SSE has become the sixth and final large energy supplier to announce it is raising its standard variable tariff (SVT) to Ofgem’s revised price cap level. Read more…

£200m Port of Tilbury expansion plan approved

The Government has given the green light for the £200m expansion of the Port of Tilbury in Essex. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

 

 

DTL to deliver apprenticeship training for South Staffs Water

Utilities specialist Develop Training Limited (DTL) has won a contract to deliver an apprenticeship in water mains laying for South Staffs Water. Read more…

Pumping station switch-on for Severn Trent’s £60M Newark project

Severn Trent’s £60M water and wastewater project in Newark has reached a new milestone, as the company has now switched on its new Terminal Pumping Station at Crankley Point. Read more…

Scottish Water starts £15M River Kelvin project

Scottish Water’s multi-million pound investment project in Glasgow’s West End to help improve the environment and water quality in the River Kelvin is under way. Read more…

Defra Announces Waste “Smart tracking” Funding Winners

Five companies working across the UK have been awarded up to £80,000 to develop innovative digital solutions to tackle the challenge of tracking waste from its source through its treatment and final disposal. Read more…

Rainwater used for sewer jetting in Northumbrian initiative

Northumbrian Water has started using harvested rainwater in jetting operations to clear sewer blockages, as an alternative to using clean, treated water for the purpose. Read more…

Arup announces Chisholm appointment

Douglas Chisholm has joined Arup in London, bringing over 30 years of leadership experience and knowledge in consultancy, construction and client-side programme management. Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

 

New TfW director appointed for north Wales

Transport for Wales (TfW) has appointed Lee Robinson as its new development director for North Wales. Read more…

Buckingham confirmed for £120m Swansea arena

Buckingham Group Contracting has been confirmed by Swansea Council as the principal contractor under a pre-construction services agreement (PCSA) for the city’s new £120m digital arena. Read more…

Yorkshire Water starts smart analytics trial to help battle leakage

Yorkshire Water is trialling the use of smart analytics to find leaks in its network. Read more…

UK Recycling Rate Edges Up To 45.7%, New Figures Show

The UK recycling rate for waste from households was 45.7% in 2017, increasing slightly from 45.2% in 2016, according to new figures from Defra. Read more…

Where is currently the best place to buy a home in England?

A perfect balance of affordability and low crime rates surely has to be high up on the list of priorities for prospective homebuyers. And, it’s safe to assume that some areas will fare better than others with regards to this. But where are they? Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

 

 

Yorkshire Water awards AMP7 framework contract to AVK

AVK has been awarded a framework contract by Yorkshire Water for the supply of mechanical fittings including tensile-resistant fittings, under-pressure tees, repair fittings and end caps. Read more…

Waste Firms Sign Up To Energy And Utilities “Inclusion Commitment”

CEOs from 32 of the country’s leading energy and utilities employers have launched a sector “Inclusion Commitment” that is a long-term commitment to attract more “diverse and inclusive talent” into their industry. Read more…

Look beyond five-year plans, MP tells water industry

The water industry needs to move beyond the five-year regulatory price review if it is to deliver for customers and the environment, Angela Smith MP told a gathering of over 200 water industry professionals at a British Water networking event. Read more…

Defra Publishes Waste Export Guide For No Deal Brexit Scenario

Defra has today published guide outlining whatUK waste importers and exporters must do to prepare for changes to rules around waste shipments if the UK leaves the EU with no deal on 29 March 2019. Read more…

Thames Water and Network Rail work together to protect environment

An environmentally friendly herbicide is keeping tracks and taps flowing up and down the country thanks to a partnership between water companies and Network Rail. Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

Proposals for £39bn investment in Northern Powerhouse Rail to be submitted to government

A business case for up to £39bn of investment in Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) are to be submitted to the government, marking “the region’s single biggest transport intervention” since the industrial revolution. Read more…

Kier pulls off contracts league double

A flurry of contract wins took Kier to pole position for greatest value of orders taken in the opening month of 2019, also keeping the firm at the top of the 12 months rolling league. Read more…

Spurs stadium opening delayed again

Spurs have announced further delays to their late-running £1bn stadium. Read more…

Tideway scoops sustainability award

Tideway, the company delivering the Thames Tideway Tunnel, has been rewarded at the Sustainability Leaders Awards 2019 for its green approach to the use of transport in the project. Read more…

Biffa Gets The Green Light For £15m Durham Plastics Recycling Plant

Biffa has announced it has received planning approval from Durham County Council for a £15m plastics recycling plant near Seaham. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

 

 

Major natural flood management project underway in Yorkshire

Work has started on a two-year, £2.6 million natural flood management project in West Yorkshire led by the National Trust to help protect homes and nurture wildlife devastated by the Boxing Day floods of 2015. Read more…

Thames continues board overhaul with two new directors

Thames Water has appointed David Waboso CBE and John Morea as non-executive directors. Read more…

Grease Contractors Association doubles its membership

The Grease Contractors Association (GCA), which represents best practice in the maintenance of grease traps and management systems in food establishments, has more than doubled its membership over the last year. Read more…

BAM Nuttall renews framework partnership with Lanes Group

BAM Nuttall has renewed a framework partnership that has seen drainage specialist Lanes Group plc deliver services for scores of projects on behalf of the civil engineering contractor. Read more…

Urgent action required on UK engineering skills crisis, report says

UK engineering faces a growing skills crisis that could become substantially worse after Brexit, according to a new report published by E4E and the Royal Academy of Engineering. Read more…

Interserve announces rescue plan agreement

Interserve has agreed a rescue deal that could see it cut its debts from £600 million to around £275 million by issuing new shares. Read more…

 

The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

 

Young civil engineers see tech as solution to skills shortage

Eight in 10 civil engineers believe that a skills shortage is the main challenge for the future of the industry, and 58 per cent of junior civil engineers believe that this challenge could be overcome by adopting new technology. Read more…

EU Proposal Submitted To Restrict “Intentionally Added” Microplastics

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has submitted a restriction proposal for microplastic particles that are intentionally added to mixtures used by consumers or professionals. Read more…

All Build UK contractors miss 30-day payment target again

No Build UK major contractor members are paying their bills within 30-days. Read more…

Is now the best time to buy a property in London?

It’s a gamble. Do I buy now or wait for a further possible drop in prices? Read more…

‘Light at the end of the tunnel’ as Gatwick Express trains trial due to start

MP Caroline Lucas has revealed that a trial for the Gatwick Express rail link will launch this month following months of reduced services, disruption and the May timetable chaos. Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Ofwat focuses on purpose, values and culture in new principles

Ofwat has published its revised board leadership, transparency, and governance principles. Read more…

South West Water backs ‘Year of Green Action’

South West Water is planning to hold a year-long series of environmental events for staff and the public. Read more…

Waitrose Launches £1m Initiative To Tackle UK Plastic Pollution

Waitrose & Partners will today (28 Jan) launch a £1 million grant fund to give money to projects designed to reduce unnecessary plastic and tackle plastic pollution.  Read more…

New environmental scorecards assess PR19 plans

Blueprint for Water, part of the Wildlife and Countryside Link nature coalition, has published new scorecards that analyse how successful water companies’ plans for AMP7 are likely to be in protecting and improving the environment. Read more…

Viridor & Suffolk County Council Agree 10-Year Contract Renewal

Viridor and Suffolk County Council have agreed an £88.75 million renewal of the contact for the council’s mixed dry recyclate. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

Partnership aims to secure resilient utility workforce post-Brexit

The Collab Group has announced a new strategic partnership with Energy & Utility Skills that includes access to the latter’s end-point assessment service. Read more…

Construction’s hardest roles to recruit revealed

Industry leaders have drawn-up a list of the construction trades and professions suffering from the severest skills shortages. Read more…

Plans for tram-trains in Manchester unveiled as Grayling and Burnham mull expansion of Metrolink

Proposals for an expansion of Greater Manchester’s (GM) tram network are in the works, Chris Grayling and Andy Burnham have announced, with plans for greater devolved control for the region and the introduction of tram-trains being considered. Read more…

Gross mortgage lending sees steady rise during 2018

The latest figures released by UK Finance have revealed that, against a backdrop of political and economic uncertainty throughout 2018, gross mortgage lending in the UK ended the year on a positive note. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Works Begin In Edmonton To Replace Energy From Waste Facility

Yesterday (22 January) marked the start of construction for the North London Heat and Power Project (NLHPP) in Edmonton. Read more…

Irish Water progresses Upper Liffey Valley Sewerage Scheme

The €30.3 million project includes the installation of over 18km of new gravity sewers and rising mains as well as the upgrade of wastewater pumping stations at Clane, Sallins and Monread, which will also see additional storm water storage tanks at all three. Read more…

Sewer project enables hotel opening at Edinburgh’s Holyrood

A new overflow pipe connecting two Victorian brick sewers within the world heritage site of Edinburgh’s Holyrood Park has been completed by Scottish Water Horizons. Read more…

Severn Trent completes innovative sewer upgrade scheme

Severn Trent has completed a unique flood alleviation scheme in Gloucestershire using innovative underground technology. Read more…

UK Leads International Project To Tackle “World’s Biggest Challenges”

The launch of the new UK-led, international project to protect the world’s oceans and develop next-gen “eco-packaging”, the One Ocean Growth hub, is one of a number of new international research collaborations announced by Science and Universities Minister Chris Skidmore. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

£50m stands approved for Lords cricket ground

The capacity of Lord’s cricket ground is set to increase to 31,000 after planning permission was granted to build new Edrich and Compton stands. Read more…

M&S launches plastic-free fruit and veg trial

Retailer to undertake three month trial to investigate how a switch to plastic-free and loose produce impacts waste levels. Read more…

The Ban on Tenant Fees Will Come Into Effect on 1st June

It feels like it’s been forever since the government announced that it was going to put an end to all the extra fees being charged by landlords and letting agents that somehow, miraculously, make the prospect of renting even more depressing. Read more…

Network Rail & Innovate UK: Ready for the future

As part of its Open for Business programme, Network Rail recently teamed up with Innovate UK to give businesses a chance to win a share of £300,000 for projects that can help automate rail planning. Read more…

Union demands “period dignity” on construction sites

Construction union Unite has launched a campaign to ensure that female workers have period dignity on site. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

 

Lush To Open “Naked” Plastic-Free Store In Manchester

Lush will launch a “Naked” store in Manchester this week making it first plastic packaging-free cosmetics shop to open in the country. Read more…

New app eases cover crop verification for farmers

Farmers who have committed to grow environmentally friendly cover crops are now able use a new app to quickly verify their work. Read more…

Waitrose Hits Black Plastic Packaging Reduction Target

Waitrose & Partners has hit its target to remove black plastic from hundreds of products as part of its overall aim to eradicate black plastic from all its own-label products. Read more…

Researchers to investigate wastewater algae use

Water and wastewater environmental consultancy Aqua Enviro is to carry out an Innovate UK-funded project to investigate the beneficial use of algae grown as part of a wastewater tertiary treatment process. Read more…

Transient detection helps Scottish Water prevent bursts

Scottish Water says it has prevented 2,000 bursts from happening in 2018 – saving £2M – thanks to its innovative work in detecting and responding to transients. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

BAM Farrans JV wins £120m Great Yarmouth bridge

Norfolk County Council has awarded the contract for Great Yarmouth’s Third River Crossing to a BAM Farrans joint venture. Read more…

New official wet wipe standard to bolster fatberg fight

The fight against fatbergs has received a boost with the publication of a new official standard identifying which wet wipes can be flushed down toilets safely. Read more…

Engineers able to predict and fix track faults before they develop using new Costain augmented reality tech

Engineers will be able to use augmented reality (AR) to predict failing components and faults on train tracks and in stations after engineering companies, in collaboration with a university, have developed a network of Internet of Things (IoT). Read more…

Abundance closes record £7m investment for Orbital Marine Power project

Green crowd-funding platform Abundance has this week celebrated its largest fund-raise to date, closing a record £7m investment round for Orbital Marine Power. Read more…

Solving the social housing conundrum

David Baybut, head of Real Estate at national law firm Stephensons, discusses the recent plunge in social housing figures and explores how ‘new thinking’ can grow the stock of homes for social rent. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

 

Senior management changes announced at the Clancy Group

The Clancy Group PLC has announced a series of senior appointments as part of the wider restructure of its management team. Read more…

81% Of UK SMEs Separate Their Waste For Recycling, Survey Finds

81% of SMEs in the UK separate their waste for recycling, according to a new survey. It also found the cost of goods is still more important than environmental impact when it comes to procuring products for 76% of business owners. Read more…

Government investing millions to develop robots to improve roadworks

The Government has announced that new micro robots will be built to repair the UK’s huge underground pipe network in an effort to significantly cut the disruption caused by the 1.5 million road excavations that take place every year. Read more…

Swindon Plans Advanced Plastics Recycling Facility

Partnering with Recycling Technologies and Public Power Solutions Ltd, a wholly owned company of Swindon Borough Council, the Council is working on plans to deliver a “world-leading” advanced Plastics Recycling Facility in Swindon. Read more…

Devon’s largest ever fatberg discovered in Sidmouth sewer

South West Water has discovered its largest ever fatberg in a Sidmouth sewer under The Esplanade. Read more…

Fly-Tipping Duty Of Care Penalties Come Into Force

New financial penalties have come into force this week with an aim of cracking down on fly-tipping. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

Read the George Stephenson notebook online:

This Christmas, Network Rail is sharing one of the railway’s most historically important artefacts with the world. Read more…

Six tower plans to change City of London skyline by 2026

Skyline views of the main London City tower cluster have been released assuming six more major consented schemes are built. Read more…

HS2 project part of new East Midlands manufacturing zones scheme

A north Derbyshire HS2 project has been named as one of the locations of the UK’s first manufacturing zones in the East Midlands. Read more…

Yorkshire Water begins project to plant a million trees

Yorkshire Water has announced that it has begun work on its scheme to plant one million trees across its land within 10 years. Read more…

House price growth slows to six year low

The latest figures released from Nationwide have revealed that across the UK, annual house price growth has slowed to its weakest pace since February 2013. Read more…

 

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 The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

£196m Barking rail extension awarded

A joint venture between Morgan Sindall and VolkerFitzpatrick has secured the London Overground rail extension from Barking to the planned 10,000 homes Riverside scheme. Read more…

House builders planning for further growth

Builders are continuing to invest in land as they look to deliver further increases in housing supply, according to a report from HBF and Glenigan. Read more…

Go-ahead for £350m Commonwealth Games village

Contractor Lendlease has got the planning green light to start work on Birmingham’s Commonwealth Games athletes village. Read more…

Rail Ombudsman interview: RTM sits down with CEO Kevin Grix

Both passengers and operators in the rail industry are anxious to see how the new ombudsman will improve the railways following a largely chaotic 2018. What are your key priorities going into 2019? Read more…

Office For Environmental Protection Outlined In Draft Environment Bill

Days after the unveiling of the Resources and Waste Strategy for England, Environment Secretary Michael Gove has published draft clauses on environmental principles and governance to be included in an ambitious, broader Environment Bill set for introduction next year. Read more…

South East Water partners with Centrica Hive to cut leakage

South East Water and smart home technology provider Centrica Hive have announced the first domestic household water supplier partnership to reduce leakage and improve water use understanding. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

 

Technology to turn wastewater into energy wins £25K funding

A new type of technology that could turn wastewater into energy for households and local communities has secured one of the two top prizes of £25,000 in seed funding at the Santander Universities Entrepreneurship Awards 2018. Read more…

England and Wales performing better than Europe – report

Water companies in England and Wales perform better than their main European counterparts, according to a new report. Read more…

Steele named new Balfour Beatty MD for gas and water

Balfour Beatty has announced the appointment of Matthew Steele as managing director of its gas and water business. Read more…

Gove Unveils Long-Awaited Resources & Waste Strategy For England

Businesses and manufacturers will “pay the full cost” of recycling or disposing of their packaging waste, government says, under its long-awaited strategy for England’s resources and waste, which has been unveiled by the Environment Secretary today (18 December). Read more…

20% still put FOG from cooking down drains – study

One in five consumers still put leftover fat, oil and grease (FOG) from cooking down the kitchen sink or drain, according to a new study for the Consumer Council for Water (CCWater).

Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

Hitachi and Spencer Group join forces for £500m Tyne and Wear Metro deal bid

Hitachi and Spencer Group have launched a joint bid to win a £500m contract to build new trains and a maintenance depot for the Tyne and Wear Metro. Read more…

Balfour Beatty delivers 2-3% construction margin goal

Balfour Beatty chief Leo Quinn has achieved his goal of returning the business to industry standard margins by the end of this year. Read more…

London millennial exodus fueling rental growth across UK

Across the UK’s regional hubs, rents are continuing to spiral upwards faster than both London and the UK average, driven by workers continuing to relocate from London amid rising living costs. Read more…

Scottish Water trials use of sniffer dogs to find leaks

Sniffer dogs are being used to help find leaking water mains for the first time in Scotland and have scored a big success with two discoveries in the past few days. Read more…

Infrastructure giant Amey to be sold to private equity firm in new year

Infrastructure giant Amey is expected to be sold to a private equity firm in the new year, according to reports. Read more…

Northumbrian Water agrees ‘second life’ energy storage deal

Northumbrian Water is planning to pilot the use of large-scale battery storage at a number of sites across the North East, Essex and Suffolk. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

 

Severn Trent saves £750K using drone inspections

Severn Trent has made savings of £750,000 in the last year through the use of drones for more efficient asset inspections, it has been reported. Read more…

England’s 2017 Recycling Figures Show 0.3% Increase

The official England waste from households recycling rate for 2017 was 45.2%, up 0.3 percentage points from 44.9% in 2016, according to the latest figures. Read more…

Yorkshire Water to open up water resources data

With the summer’s unusually dry weather continuing into the winter months, Yorkshire Water has announced it is to become the first water company to regularly publish its full data on the region’s water resources to allow customers to see for themselves how dry weather and increased demand are having an impact. Read more…

LondonEnergy Awarded NLWA Energy Recovery Facility Contract

North London Waste Authority (NLWA) members announced it has awarded LondonEnergy Ltd with a contract to manage the waste collected by the seven north London Boroughs and to operate the replacement Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) at Edmonton EcoPark. Read more…

Thames deploys hundreds of night-time leak detectors

Hundreds of Thames Water engineers are walking the streets at night to pinpoint leakage from the company’s 20,000-mile water pipe network. Read more…

Thames to help fund £60M green surface water management schemes

Thames Water will partner with stakeholders and local authorities to fund £60 million of surface water management (SWM) schemes including green spaces, removing hard, impermeable surfaces such as concrete and asphalt in areas most at risk of flooding. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment

 

Coca-Cola Invests In Supply Of 100% Recycled PET Plastic

Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) is making a new strategic investment from Loop Industries to purchase a supply of 100% recycled PET (rPET) plastic to accelerate the increased use of recycled materials in the creation of its bottles. Read more…

ISG lands £70m refurb deal for Canary Wharf tower

ISG has been awarded a £70m contract to refurbish the former Canary Wharf offices of the Financial Conduct Authority. Read more…

Severn Trent creates machine learning to help tackle leakage

Severn Trent has started to use machine learning to help transform the way it approaches leaks. Read more…

Network Rail awards first CP6 contracts

Railway specialists Story Contracting and AmcoGiffen have bagged the first major contracts to be let by Network Rail for the CP6 control period from 2019 to 2024. Read more…

Cheaper digital signalling, more exports and better data-sharing: DfT launches the Rail Sector Deal

The government has today announced the new Rail Sector Deal in order to help the government work better with the rail industry, reduce the cost of infrastructure, encourage greater use of digital technologies, and double the UK’s rail industry exports by 2025. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry

 

Wastewater upgrade for Northumberland

Northumbrian Water is investing nearly £4 million to upgrade its wastewater treatment works in Northumberland. Read more…

£60m Funding For “Environmentally-Friendly” Plastic Alternatives

Household food scraps could be transformed into “environmentally-friendly” plastic bags and cups, thanks to up to £60m of new government funding, it has been announced today (5 December). Read more…

Severn Trent creates machine learning to help tackle leakage

Severn Trent has started to use machine learning to help transform the way it approaches leaks. Read more…

Gove Sets Out Proposals For Greener Developments

The government is consulting on mandating biodiversity net gain in development to ensure habitats are protected and enhanced for the future. Read more…

Scottish Water tests innovative wastewater treatment process

Scottish Water experts are testing a new technology that the company believes could “transform the way wastewater is treated”. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment

 

New prompt payment initiative to crackdown on slow paying contractors

A new prompt payment initiative to ensure all Government suppliers and subcontractors benefit from being paid on time has been announced. Read more…

Assurances Needed for a “World Leading” Environment Bill

Stakeholders from business sectors, environmental groups, academics and professional bodies have come together to establish common ground in shaping a world leading Environment Act. Read more…

Experts to discuss optimising networks with smart technology

How can water companies embrace the disruptive transformation of smart technology to revolutionise networks? Senior leaders from Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, FCC Aqualia, Yorkshire Water, and other leading organisations, are meeting to share strategic expertise at this year’s Smart Water Networks Conference, taking place on 21st March 2019 at the Birmingham Conference and Events Centre. Read more…

Go-ahead for £270m Swindon ski and cinema centre

Plans to build a 500,000 sq ft regional leisure scheme in Swindon featuring a big snow centre have been given the thumbs up. Read more…

Bombardier and Hitachi commit to high-speed rail learning programme if HS2 bid is successful

Hitachi and Bombardier are to work closely together in developing a high-speed rail learning programme as part of their joint bid to build trains for HS2. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry

 

Wessex Water to pay record £975k after sewage spills

Wessex Water has offered to pay £975,000 to achieve equivalent environmental benefits following a series of sewage spills in Swanage Bay, Dorset. Read more…

Householders Face £400 Fine For Waste Duty Of Care Failure

Householders face new financial penalties of up to £400 in cases of fly-tipping where they have failed to properly exercise their duty of care, Defra has announced. Read more…

Water Plus and Waterwise partner to improve water efficiency

Water Plus, the UK’s largest water retailer business, has partnered with Waterwise a national independent advisory group to boost water efficiency for consumers and innovation across the UK market. Read more…

Ocean Pollution Campaign Receives £24,000 Boost From Enforcement Undertaking

A campaign aimed at reducing waste pollution in our oceans and on beaches has been given a boost of more than £24,000 after the Environment Agency accepted an enforcement undertaking from a group of companies for failing to comply with waste and recycling regulations. Read more…

WRAS names Hogan as new chairman

The Water Regulation Advisory Scheme (WRAS) has appointed Sean Hogan as its new chairman, replacing Stephen Kay. Read more…

 

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At this year’s British Water International Reception, keynote speaker Peter Simpson gave an engaging summary of successes and lessons learned in the water sector, in what has been another ‘exceptional year’ for the water network.

From the bitter weather with the ‘beast from the east’ at the start of the year, sending the UK into its coldest period for 27 years, followed by some of the hottest and driest months since records began in 1910, in addition to increasingly frequent and severe flooding the UK, water network has faced significant challenges.

Yet in the face of such extreme challenges, the Water industry is amongst one of the most trusted industries in the UK. 63% of household customers trust their water company, in comparison to 52% for the energy sector. (CCWater Water Matters Annual Tracking Survey, 5,110 total customers surveyed)

With a sector-wide focus on driving innovation and improved efficiency to ensure real benefit and cost savings can be delivered to the consumer, 2 litres of tap water is now 270 times cheaper than a 2-litre premium branded bottle of water, costing less than 1/3p. (CCWater; England and Wales, Apr 2016 – Mar 2017)

In real terms for the consumer, this means the average annual water and sewerage charges across England and Wales households stands at £405, compared to the average annual dual fuel (gas and electricity) bill of £1,066. (Source: Water UK; England and Wales, Apr 2018 – Mar 2019)

Peter also shared a brief insight into the preparatory work being done by water companies in the face of Brexit negotiations, emphasising the need for a continued focus on environmental and outcome-based measures, for success across the sector post-Brexit and touching on some of the contingency forecasting completed for all different Brexit negotiation eventualities.  

The event, hosted at the Institute of Directors in London, proved a fantastic opportunity to showcase the British Water Industry to support international trade. As proud members of British Water, Advance TRS were delighted to support the event as Silver Sponsors.

As a niche recruitment consultancy specialising in the provision of highly-skilled technical professionals, our specialist Water and Utilities consultants supply permanent, contract and temporary recruitment solutions to clients across the UK.

Operating as a trusted adviser to our clients, Advance TRS deliver an end-to-end recruitment service that provides complete peace of mind. From meter readers to senior managers on AMP6 framework projects and Thames Tideway, our specialist industry knowledge enables us to deliver expert, hard-to-find candidates for your business.

 

Get ahead of the January rush and view the latest opportunities in the Water sector here or call 01483 361 061 to speak to our expert Water & Utilities Consultants.

The latest news this week in the Built Environment

 

Thameslink director appointed as East West Rail’s first CEO

East West Rail has announced its first chief executive as Simon Blanchflower, the programme director for Thameslink. Read more…

Interserve to roll-out £650m debt reduction plan

Interserve chief Debbie White has pledged to unveil plans to tackle the group’s mountain of debt early next year. Read more…

Rail parliamentary roundup: Grayling denies ‘tin ear’ jibes on northern investment, investigation launched into SWR’s ‘Mayhem Monday’

The transport secretary has hit back against claims that the government has underinvested in transport in the north following new analysis from the IPPR this week. Read more…

Yorkshire Water announces £30M Saltend WWTW investment

Yorkshire Water is to invest £30M in its wastewater treatment works in Saltend, Hull to improve the site’s operation. Read more…

My life in rail: Caitlin Gent

For the first in a new series meeting rail staff at different stages of their careers, we sat down with rising rail apprentice Caitlin Gent. Read more…

Major Brands Sign “Waste To Wealth” Commitment

Business in the Community – The Prince’s Responsible Business Network will challenge business to reduce waste or turn “waste into wealth” to prevent catastrophic climate change during at the Waste to Wealth Summit, held today (22 November). Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry

 

MUS gets water network alliance deal with Welsh Water

Morrison Utility Services (MUS), the UK’s largest dedicated utility service provider and part of M Group Services, has been awarded a new four-year water network alliance contract with Dwr Cymru Welsh Water. Read more…

Tesco And WWF Join Forces To Make Food More Sustainable

Tesco and WWF today announced a ground-breaking, long-term partnership2 with the aim of reducing the environmental impact of the average UK shopping basket by 50%, improving the sustainability of food while ensuring it remains affordable for all. Read more…

South Staffs and Cambridge Water make new board appointments

South Staffs Water has welcomed three new independent non-executive directors to its board. Read more…

Co-op Rolls Out Compostable Carrier Bags In 1,000 Stores

The Co-op has this week rolled out its scheme to offer compostable carrier bags to customers from 1,000 stores across the country, replacing an estimated 60m single-use plastic bags. Read more…

Yorkshire Water announces £30M Saltend WWTW investment

Yorkshire Water is to invest £30M in its wastewater treatment works in Saltend, Hull to improve the site’s operation. Read more…

“Refundable” Levy On All Packaging Recommended In New Report

Policy measures to deliver increased use of post-consumer recycled materials (PCR) in the UK economy are outlined in a new report from Eunomia Research and Consulting, released today (20 November). Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment

 

Building new city-centre lines instead of using existing network inflates HS2 cost by 15%

HS2’s second phase will cost more compared to similar overseas schemes because it relies on new dedicated high-speed lines into city-centre terminal stations at Manchester and Leeds rather than using the existing conventional railway. Read more…

Nearly 98% of bathing waters pass EA quality standards

The Environment Agency has announced that 97.9 per cent of England’s bathing waters passed standards following tests this year. Read more…

A6 Manchester Airport relief road creates thousands of jobs

Greater Manchester is set to benefit from 5,000 more jobs thanks to a new road improving connections in and around the city to Manchester Airport. Read more…

Industry set to ‘smash’ government target after new build completions see 6.4% year-on-year rise

According to the latest government statistics, new build completions accounted for 195,290 of supply in 2017-18 in the year to April – a rise of 6.4%. Read more…

Wates wins £82m London Haringey tower job

Wates Construction has been appointed by London residential developer Anthology to build a 32-storey tower in Tottenham Hale. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment

 

Crossrail chief executive stands down as London Underground boss takes up role

Transport for London announced today that Simon Wright, the chief executive of the £15.4bn project, will step down from the role “as planned,” and on 19 November will be replaced by Mark Wild, who is currently the managing director of London Underground. Read more…

ISG appointed to deliver £200m Waterloo development

ISG is set to transform 135,000 sq ft at the former Waterloo International Eurostar Terminal into a new retail, leisure and cultural development. Read more…

Civils skills shortage worst on record

Civils contractors are warning they now face a serious skills gap with dissatisfaction about finding sufficiently skilled staff in England running at record levels. Read more…

Travertine pavements could cut flooding by 50% – study

Changing the material used in pavements could reduce flooding by 50 percent and purify stormwater at the same time, according to researchers from Xi’an Jiaotong- Liverpool University (XJTLU). Read more…

Colgate Launches Oral Care Products Recycling Solution

Dental hygiene brand Colgate is partnering with TerraCycle to launch the Colgate Oral Care Recycling Programme, a free Nationwide recycling solution for oral care products and packaging in the UK. Read more…

 

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 The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry

Irish Water to upgrade nine water treatment plants in Mayo

Irish Water has announced that it will spend €8.75 million on upgrading nine water treatment plants across County Mayo. Read more…

Unilever & Veolia Sign Collaboration Agreement On Sustainable Packaging

Unilever and Veolia have announced that they have signed a collaboration agreement to jointly work on emerging technologies that will help create a circular economy on plastics across various geographies, starting in India and Indonesia. Read more…

Severn Trent customers offered video calling service to report leaks

Severn Trent is now offering a video calling service that allows its customers to speak ‘face-to-face’ with an engineer when they report a leak. Read more…

United Utilities signs AI deal in UK first

United Utilities has become the first water company in the UK to introduce large-scale artificial intelligence into its operational systems. Read more…

Work begins on Glasgow’s groundbreaking ‘smart canal’

Construction of Europe’s first ever ‘smart canal’ scheme, which will use the 250-year-old Forth & Clyde Canal and 21st century technology to mitigate flood risk as well as enable significant regeneration, is now underway in Glasgow. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment

 

Colmore Tang has won the contract to convert the former Intel Security office building in Slough into a luxury apartment complex for developer SevenCapital.

Work will see the building converted into 58 one and two-bedroom boutique apartments. Read more…

Network Rail supplier spend table revealed

Network’s Rail’s investment in signalling and train control systems saw Siemens Rail Automation unseat Costain as the infrastructure group’s biggest supplier by spend. Read more…

London council picks Countryside for big estate rebuild

The London Borough of Kingston has selected Countryside Properties to redevelop a major housing estate. Read more…

BAM Nuttall wins first stage of £60m Lowestoft bridge

BAM Nuttall has won the contract for the first stage of completing the £60m Lake Lothing Third Crossing in Lowestoft. Read more…

New framework announced for measuring the impact UK rail has on society and sustainability

The RSSB has developed a new framework which can measure the social value of the UK’s railway. Read more…

DERAGGER demonstrates benefits in independent trial

Clearwater Controls’ DERAGGER device cuts energy consumption by up to 80 per cent, significantly reduces maintenance requirements and helps to extend asset life, according to a new independent trial. Read more…

Thames Water publishes environmental, social and governance statement

Thames Water has published its first Environmental, Social and Governance Statement today (25 October) and been recognised for its commitment to sustainability in a global review. Read more…

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UU building floating solar farm on Langthwaite Reservoir

United Utilities is building a floating solar farm on the surface of Langthwaite Reservoir. Read more…

Former Kier MD Fletcher to lead Anglian’s @one Alliance

Anglian Water has appointed former Kier MD Paul Fletcher as director of its @one Alliance – a 15-year partnership of engineering and construction partners. Read more…

Anglian gets permission for solar installation at Grafham Water

Grafham Water is to become the latest part of Anglian Water’s carbon neutral journey as the installation of a solar array has been permitted on operational land at the site. Read more…

Nissan Leaf gets green light for vehicle-to-grid use in Germany

Electric car is first to win regulatory approval from German authorities to supply energy from battery back to the grid. Read more…

Aluminium Drink Cans Recycling Hits Record High in Ireland

The official recycling rate for aluminium drink cans consumed in Ireland has jumped from 54% in 2016 to 73% in 2017. Read more…

Uber to introduce clean air fee to all London rides

Uber will charge its customers in London an extra 15p per mile on every trip to help its drivers buy electric cars. Read more…

 

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Searching for a job can be a daunting prospect; understanding your worth on the job market, navigating job boards, recruiters and social networks can all present barriers to finding the perfect role. But all is not lost, new technology and algorithms on established platforms are all geared to help you find your next role with minimum effort.

So how do you find a job in the technological age?

Here are 3 simple tips to help speed up your job search.

Update your Virtual CV

 

 

Your social media profile can act as a virtual CV, it’s there 24/7 as your own personal advert to the job market. Create a LinkedIn profile or update your existing profile by detailing your relevant skills and experience to maximise your online presence. Share your profile edits to draw attention to your refreshed profile among your followers.

Register for Job Alerts

 

 

Save time with your search by registering for job alerts. By registering with relevant job boards and setting up job alerts, you can receive notifications of new opportunities straight to your inbox. You can be as specific as you want to be, narrowing it down to location, salary, job title or industry. Targeting industry-specific job sites can be a good way of narrowing down the number of jobs sent to you.

Utilise Recruiters

 

 

Good recruiters will have a comprehensive understanding of your market and current opportunities. Engaging recruiters is a quick way of tapping into this knowledge to help you in your search. Even better, they already have a relationship with the hiring managers and can guide you through the process, from interviews and salary negotiation through to offer and onboarding.

You can now choose to show recruiters and hiring managers, who are searching for potential candidates, that you are ‘open to opportunities’ on LinkedIn. This will not be visible to your current company but will alert hiring managers and recruiters that you are open to approaches!

 

Looking for your next career?

Advance TRS is a niche recruitment consultancy specialising in the provision of highly-skilled technical professionals. Since establishing, Advance TRS has grown rapidly and now provides permanent, contract and temporary recruitment solutions to both candidates and clients across a number of key technical sectors, including Rail, Property, Construction, Water and Utilities.

For the latest opportunities visit www.advance-trs.com or speak to one of our team on 01483 361061.

Bristol Water supporting growth of innovative entrepreneurs

Bristol Water has launched its business incubator to boost innovation and help support the local economy. The Workshop encourages small, start-up businesses to help solve business challenges. Read more…

Severn Trent set to expand trial with leak-finding robot

Following trials earlier this year, Severn Trent is working with US-based WatchTower Robotics on creating and trialling a UK-specific leak-finding robot in the company’s pipes. Read more…

UK’s Biggest Collaborative Push To Improve Recycling On-The-Go Launches

Bubble-blowing bins, recycling reward machines, a huge art installation and ‘Re-Cycler’ recycling collection bikes will appear across Leeds city centre from today [Tuesday 9 October] as part of #LeedsByExample – the UK’s biggest push, to date, to trial innovative ways to improve rates of recycling on the go. Read more…

Thames’ ‘micro-machine’ to cut roadworks disruption

Thames Water is bringing an innovative new micro-machine to London to cut down travel disruption caused by essential roadworks. Read more…

Ofwat not ambitious enough on ‘shocking’ leakage levels – MPs

Ofwat’s 15 per cent leakage target is “not ambitious enough” while more must be done to incentivise water transfers, MPs have said in a report on the regulation of the water industry. Read more…

Walkers To Create UK’s First Nationwide Crisp Packet Recycling Scheme

Walkers is set to launch the UK’s first nationwide recycling scheme for crisp packets. Read more…

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This September, the Advance TRS team marked 7 years of trading in style. Since establishing in 2011, Advance TRS has grown from one man’s idea into a £30 million turnover business, now with 2 office locations and over 35 staff recruiting across 4 key industry sectors.

Group Managing Director Andy Ridout’s unique energy and dedication has inspired and driven the team to place over 2,600 professionals, boasting over 1.5 million hours worked on the railway without serious incident.

In the last year alone, Advance TRS Ltd. have been presented awards including Leadership Team of the Year and Employer of the Year for Surrey. These add to the companies growing awards cupboard, as previous winners of the M3 Growth Hub High Growth Award and Finalists for the UKRIA Recruitment Excellence award.

With plans to more than double the workforce again in the next 3 years, the rapidly growing team shares Andy’s commitment to providing excellent customer service to both candidates and clients alike, finding the best candidates for each role.

Building on more than 150 years of combined industry experience and mobilising the dynamism of new recruits, the team are going from strength to strength.

The company has recently invested in a new Training and Development Director and Head of Facilities Managment to support the senior leadership team, with expansion plans including new recruits and new office locations.

All of this has been achieved whilst maintaining a singular dedication to excellent customer service, epitomized by the company’s Core Values of Quality, Commitment, Integrity, Honesty and Loyalty.

With business development plans firmly rooted in these five principles, Advance TRS aims to continue this pattern of growth whilst maintaining their strong reputation as dependable, effective and honest.

“Advance TRS’ success has been proven that hard work and a dedication to delivering excellent service pays off” Andy explains, reflecting on the last 7 years.

“Now, the team and I are more motivated than ever to continue this sensational track record of growth and are excited for what the future brings.”

If you’re interested in being part of an award-winning team, please contact Neil Wilkie on 01483 361061 or click here to visit our ‘Work for us’ page and apply for one of our current vacancies!

Our Water Team at Advance TRS attended the Water Industry Achievement Awards at The Vox Conference Centre in Birmingham on Monday 21st May.

This event is a great occasion where all of the water companies come together to celebrate all the achievements in the water industry over the last year, with the opportunity to enter your own company for different categories to prove that you are the best in that area. The categories covered all areas including Customer Service, Drainage and Flood Prevention, Energy and Carbon, Water resilience, Engineering Projects, Most innovative use of an existing technology, Most Innovative New Technology of the year and so on. Of course, there were some overall awards which were Water Company of the year and Water Industry Contractor of the Year. There was a record-breaking number of entries and you can see the full list of winners here.

The awards night consisted of a drinks reception from 7pm followed by a 3 course meal and the awards. We sat with representatives from Severn Trent Water and a partner of theirs, Malvern Panalytical who were jointly nominated for an award – which they won! Congratulations to them and all of the winners! The night ended with a charity casino followed by drinks at the bar until the early hours of the morning.

This event was a brilliant opportunity to see this industry link together to celebrate all of it’s amazing achievements over the last year and to see how much hard work goes into each part of the water industry. It’s an excellent networking event and an all round great evening.

The team also went to Utility Week Live the next day which was at the NEC in Birmingham. This event includes a hall of company stands within the utilities industry, including green energy, utility providers, tech companies and various equipment manufacturers and more. The chance to explore the opportunities and threats of disruptive technologies and business models and of course, networking with 3,000+ utility industry colleagues and contacts. There was ongoing seminars for all the sectors and these along with the Keynote Speakers were also very interesting and it was brilliant to meet some of the VIPs of the day.

These two days were great for our Water Team and it was all very enjoyable and a great way to do some team bonding. We hope to catch up with the new people and companies that we met soon!