The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has launched an Early Market Engagement exercise to replace its multi billion pound Aquatrine Defence Water Services Programme, starting with an Industry Day on 13th February 2025 at Tidworth Garrison Theatre in Wiltshire.
The MoD’s Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) is currently considering the options to secure the provision of water and wastewater services, and the operation and maintenance of MOD’s private water network when the existing Aquatrine Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts expire in 2028 and 2030.
DIO is now inviting potential service providers to attend the Industry Day and register their interest in attending by 24th January 2025. The number of attendees for the event will be limited and spaces will be given on a first come first served basis.
Interested organisations will need to complete the Defence Water Services Programme Industry Day
Registration Form and provide the following details:
Name of Company/Organisation
Point of Contact and contact details.
Contact email address provided is: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Additional information can also be obtained from the Delivery Continuity Team by emailing Jennifer Arden at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for further information about the Industry Day or the programme.
Aquatrine is the MOD’s GB-wide water and wastewater Private Finance Initiative (PFI), providing water and wastewater services and manages environmental risk across the GB Defence Estate allowing the MOD to focus on its core business.
In the UK, DIO currently delivers water and wastewater services across circa 2,600 sites equating to 85% of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) GB-Estate. It covers all aspects of water and wastewater services from operation and maintenance (O&M), contingency planning, payment of statutory undertaker (SU) bills and charging of third-party customers.
Since 2003 Aquatrine has delivered one of the largest water & wastewater PFI contracts in Europe for a 25 year term managed by 3 service providers.
The three 25-year PFIs are split into packages with a collective value of circa £2.6 billion:
- Package A – Ancala Water Services – 2003 to 2028
- Package B – Veolia Water Nevis – 2005 to 2030
- Package C – Severn Trent Services – 2005 to 2030
According to DIO, “given the inevitability of change in the water sector, the needs of defence are best served at this moment in time by going to the market seeking provision for a replacement service” which is likely to be in the form of a Managed Service Provision (MSP) contract.
DIO will be carrying out Industry Engagement from February 2025 and inviting interested parties to participate in a variety of sessions such as Programme Updates, Industry Days and Bilateral discussions (a commercial in confidence meeting between two parties i.e. DIO and the requesting party), beginning with the Industry Day on 13th February.
Currently the estimated date of publication of a formal contract notice is 31 October 2025.
Click here to access the Prior Information Notice documentation.
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