£25 million contract awarded for Douglas Water Treatment Works

The contract for the construction of the new Douglas Water Treatment Works off Homefield Road has been awarded to Earth Tech Engineering Limited.

Patrick Heaton-Armstrong, Chief Executive of the Isle of Man Water Authority said,

“Appointing Earth Tech Engineering signals the start of our largest capital project to date, it also brings us one step closer to delivering the much-needed treatment works that will serve over 60% of the Island’s population.”

The new Douglas Works is an integral part of the Authority’s ‘Crystal Project’ - the banner under which three major capital schemes on the east of the Island have been united. In addition to the new Works, The Crystal Project includes the laying of the raw water main from Baldwin reservoir down the valley to Homefield Road and the laying of mains required to connect the treatment works to the distribution system.

Over the past two years, Earth Tech Engineering has established a productive working relationship with the Authority, having won the contract to build the new Sulby Treatment Works in 2003. As the project is close to completion - right on schedule and on budget - the Authority is confident of Earth Tech’s project management skills. It has also been impressed with the productivity and quality of workmanship by Earth Tech and their contractors.

Earth Tech is based in the UK and is highly regarded within the water industry. It employs over 700 people and has an international network of affiliated offices offering a range of process, mechanical and electrical and civil engineering expertise. The Company has a well-proven track record in the design and construction of facilities for the whole water cycle, from raw water resources through to sewage treatment and sludge disposal. It will be working with Island contractor Charles Brand (IoM) Ltd to build the new Douglas Water Treatment Works.

Mr Heaton-Armstrong continued,

“It was important to find a design and construction team that recognised and understood the sensitivities of people living and working around the site. Local skills will also be utilised as much as possible during the course of this contract and as construction will take place within a confined area, well-organised site management will be crucial.”

Mr John Lever, Managing Director, of Earth Tech Engineering said,

“We feel very privileged that the Isle of Man Water Authority has now entrusted us to deliver its new treatment works in Douglas. Planning and preparation work on the project has been underway for some weeks. We envisage moving on site after TT and work will start shortly. Assuming the construction phase remains on schedule, we should be in a position to hand over the works to the Authority in 2008.”

Planning approval for the new works on Homefield Road, Douglas was granted by the Council of Ministers in October 2004 after a detailed Independent Inspector’s Report was commissioned last June. The new multi-million pound water treatment facility will replace the ageing Glencrutchery plant on Greenfield Road, Douglas and will serve Douglas, Onchan, Braddan and the South of the Island. It has been designed to treat up to 37 million litres of water a day and meet stringent water quality standards in compliance with the EU Drinking Water Directive. With the new works at Sulby due for completion later this year the combined facilities will give the Authority the capacity to serve a population of up to 90,000 in year 2021.