4 | may 2016 | WWT | www.wwtonline.co.uk Industry news May Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal has cut the ribbon on a £200M extension to Liverpool Wastewater Treatment Works which has been completed by United Utilities. Princess Anne's return to the site came almost 25 years a-er she opened the original works in 1991. The works has been central to cleaning up the River Mersey since then. Lorne Large, United Utilities Principal Project Manager, said: "The extension to Liverpool treatment works means we will be able to keep the River Mersey clean well into the next century." The latest development marks a far cry from the River Mersey's low point in the mid-1980s, when it was described by the then Secretary of State for the Environment, Michael Heseltine as 'an affront to the standards a civilised Extended Liverpool WWTW opened by Princess Royal Contract Tracker ESI wins Severn Trent work an alliance led by ESI Consulting has secured a leading role in delivering on Severn Trent's commitments to water resource management. The hydrogeology consulting firm has won a place on Severn Trent's amP6 Water Resource Planning Framework, in an alliance including aPEm Ltd and Hydrologic Services Ltd as its main partners. NI Water awards major leakage contracts Northern Ireland Water has awarded contracts for leak detection services and leakage management services worth more than £25m in total. RPS Environmental management, Larsen Water management and Crowder & Co all won places in a six-year leakage detection services contract worth an estimated £18.6m. meanwhile RPS, WRc, Crowder & Co and E.McMullan Ltd will fulfil a £7.8m contract for leakage management services. ESG wins Battersea treatment deal Testing, inspection and compliance services provider ESG has been awarded a contract to supply water treatment equipment for the first phase of the Battersea Power Station redevelopment in south- west London. society should demand of its environment.' It was famous for being known as the dirtiest river in Europe, awash with a deadly cocktail of raw sewage and toxic chemicals. Over the past 25 years United Utilities and its predecessor North West Water has spent billions of pounds overhauling the sewer network to help play its part in the clean-up. The opening of Liverpool WWTW in 1991 had a huge impact on the river. Prior to it being built, the city's raw and partially treated sewage was being discharged directly into the Mersey and its tributaries. The improvement in treating wastewater had an instant impact, helping the river Mersey to flourish once again, which was key to the economic regeneration of the city. Ian Fullalove, United Utilities special projects £500M The loan that United Utilities has agreed with the European Investment Bank. The 18-year loan will be used to finance improvements to the region's water and wastewater networks as part of UU's £3.5 billion capital investment programme in AMP6. SCOTTISH SUN: One thousand solar panels have been installed at Marchbank Water Treatment Works near Edinburgh, as Scottish Water continues its renewable energy efforts. Pictured are Scottish Water's Project Manager John Sammon (Project Manager) and Chris Toop (Energy Programme Manager). manager, hailed the completion of the project. "The opening of the £200M extension to the treatment works will help continue environmental improvements we have already been making. "The success of the clean- up is evident. Beautiful creatures such as dolphins frolicking in Liverpool Bay are becoming a common sighting and a humpback whale was recently spotted flapping its distinctive pectoral fin." Matthew Clough, founder of Liverpool Bay Marine Life Trust, added: "Other species enjoying the cleaner water include octopus, salmon, grey seals and large cod, which are being badly hit worldwide. "We're also seeing dolphin and porpoise recovery which is absolutely fantastic and even more evidence the clean-up is working."