United Utilities is looking for market input from the supply chain on the development of its first Drainage and Wastewater Management Plan (DWMP).

As part of the plan, the water company is exploring proposals for alternative options in either demand or capacity management for evaluation alongside those developed internally.

United Utilities said the options will be considered in the development of its first DWMP which will cover the period from 2025 - 2050.

The utility is looking for proposals from the supply chain that can:

• Improve efficiency and delivery benefits for a lower cost for customers;
• Identify innovative market led solutions to managing long term resilience pressures for drainage and wastewater management;
• Enhance the natural capital of the north west, providing wider benefits for customers;
• Deliver sustainable solutions to water quality and sewer flooding risk.

United Utilities also want to hear from organisations that can offer innovation to improve the management of drainage and wastewater in catchments, aligned with its Catchment Systems Thinking approach. Suggested suppliers include land owners / land users, design partners, delivery partners and operational partners.

Examples for third party options include measures which:

• are related to demand reduction from surface water inputs to the sewer network e.g. surface water attenuation, SuDS, natural flood management
• involve working with partners to manage risk to water quality through interventions on catchment land e.g. diffuse nutrient management to contribute to offsetting
• involve managing demand from domestic or business customers
• involve engineered solutions to improve drainage and/or water quality

United Utilities is looking to identify opportunities which could be built upon and developed through the price review process for implementation in the period 2025 to 2030 and beyond.

The water company has a significant number of operational staff and partner organisations that daily manage a wastewater network consisting of over 72,000 km of sewers and more than 3.2m connected properties.

United Utilities said it will carefully consider the costs of the proposals that are offered, taking into account wider benefits like carbon and natural capital, and compare them with the costs of developing a similar in-house solution.

Click here to access the Periodic Indicative Notice.