Clancy has been appointed to deliver a major new potable water pipeline for Anglian Water as part of the water company’s Strategic Pipeline Alliance (SPA).

Anglian’s SPA is one of Europe’s biggest environmental projects and will enable 265 million litres of water to be moved between wetter and drier areas.

The family-run contractor will act as a subcontracting partner to Costain and will be involved in the construction of an 800mm diameter steel 43km main that will run between Cambridgeshire and West Norfolk.

Clancy is involved with the construction of a new 800mm diameter steel 43km main to the north east of Peterborough, between Etton in Cambridgeshire and Bexwell in West Norfolk, with work taking place until the Spring of 2024. The route will include 187 open cut crossings across three Local Planning Authorities at a varying depth of up to 5 metres.

The project will leverage the business’ existing civil engineering expertise in delivering new water pipelines across the UK. Clancy has invested in smart engineering techniques and technology to deliver the underground pipeline with the highest safety standards.

The modern and efficient plant standard being used by Clancy, Costain and Anglian Water includes using Digital Thumbs Up and Human Form Recognitions, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) to identify when a person has stepped into an unsafe area – alerting the person in the zone and the machine operator. The system reports incidents by type and frequency, and this data can be used to improve safety behaviours on site going forward: ensuring health & safety constantly remains a priority.

The subcontract, is part of the wider alliance programme to create a network of new mains that can redistribute clean water resources across the region. The network is one of Europe’s biggest environmental projects, enabling 265 million litres of water to be moved between wetter and drier areas by creating a series of up to 500km of interconnecting pipelines and associated infrastructure.

As the east of England feels the effect of climate change and lower rainfall, the new network will ensure resources are protected and sustainable for the future. The programme will also support economic growth through new housing development, as well as protecting watercourses.

Ronan Clancy, executive director at Clancy, commented:

“The effects of climate change are being felt across the UK but especially in the drier areas of East Anglia which already experience low rainfall compared to the rest of the country. This critically important programme will make sure that the network is well-equipped and resilient for the future.

“Building on our experience of major new infrastructure projects, as well as our existing alliances across the region, we look forward to supporting Costain and Anglian Water on this landmark project.”

Working across major frameworks and alliances in energy and water, as well as supporting ground-breaking infrastructure programmes, Clancy is one of the UK’s largest privately owned, independent contractors – directly employing, training and supporting 2,300 people across a network of eight UK offices.