Portsmouth Water launches new, strategic partnership to deliver its most ambitious investment plan yet

Image caption (left to right): Joel Stevens, MD Onsite, IWS M&E and GStow, Carol Cairns, Chief Asset Officer, Portsmouth Water, Matt Guest, MD, Cappagh, Steve Hogg, MD, Water Consultancy, Rowan Jameson, Sales Director, Arqiva, Matt Bridges, MD, Bridges.

Portsmouth Water has announced a new, strategic collaboration with key partners to deliver its most ambitious business plan yet.

Cappagh, Arqiva, Bridges and IWS, and Tetra Tech are coming together to support the roll out of Portsmouth Water’s AMP8 programme. This will see the company invest £377 million, including capital expenditure of £200 million, to safeguard water supplies for local communities, enhance the environment, and deliver the lowest drinking water bills in England and Wales.

At the heart of the five-year programme is this new ecosystem approach which involves collaborating with these strategic partners to deliver the plan as effectively and efficiently as possible. Taking a coordinated approach is set to bring major benefits through creating better synergies across our programmes to ensure we deliver on our commitments whilst maintaining service and minimising impact on our communities.
To launch the partnership, Portsmouth Water hosted an Eco-System Collaboration Event on 4 September with leaders and managers to connect, understand each partner’s role, and explore interdependencies between contracts to help shape a joined-up delivery approach.

Bob Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, Portsmouth Water, said: “This is an incredibly exciting time for Portsmouth Water as we embark on our largest investment programme in a generation. By building this collaborative ecosystem from day one, we’re making sure we can deliver these essential projects efficiently, providing real value for our customers while protecting our precious local environment.”

Carol Cairns, Chief Asset Officer, Portsmouth Water, said: “This strategic partnership is at the heart of our AMP8 programme. It was really inspiring to come together at our EcoSystem Collaboration Event to share our collective vision and build a strong foundation as we embark on this ambitious plan. The event has really highlighted the benefits and opportunities this partnership will bring, and we look forward to working closely over the coming years to deliver meaningful outcomes and leave a lasting legacy.”

Rowan Jameson, Sales Director, Arqiva, said: “We’re really excited about the collaboration between Arqiva, Portsmouth Water, and all the other ecosystem partners. This is an exciting project as we roll out more metering across the environment, creating new opportunities not only for Portsmouth Water customers but also for broader programme activity.”

The partnership involves:

• Cappagh – leading the smart meter installation and commissioning programme while renewing mains, connecting new developments, and maintaining the network.
• Arqiva – providing the smart metering technology along with the communications infrastructure and data management that support customers in monitoring and managing their water use.
• Bridges and IWS – driving the non-infrastructure programme, upgrading mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, and automation systems, while also delivering projects such as nitrates removal and UV projects.
• Tetra Tech – providing design and professional services support, offering guidance and expertise to the programme as needed.

Portsmouth Water also engages wider community partners and customers in a number of ways. This includes structured input through the Independent Challenge Group (ICG), attendance at local community events to gather feedback directly from customers, and collaboration with environmental organisations to ensure projects deliver benefits for biodiversity and water quality. With this approach Portsmouth Water is strengthening a broader ecosystem, ensuring AMP8 reflects community priorities, maintains transparency, and benefits customers, communities, and the environment in a coordinated, joined-up way.