Southern Water has launched a market engagement exercise seeking supply chain input ahead of going out to tender in Autumn 2025 with a contract for the construction and connection of the Andover Link Main (ALM) Pipeline worth an estimated £50 million.
The water company has issued a Preliminary Market Engagement Notice inviting interested suppliers to respond to a Request for Information (RFI) relating to the project.Southern Water say the answers provided by suppliers will be invaluable to informing the company’s understanding of the market and provide insight as to how it can best deliver value for money to its customers.
The ALM aims to connect Winchester and Andover via a new potable water pipeline providing both drought and operational resilience.
Southern Water has proposed a water supply system between the resource zones Hampshire Southampton East, Hampshire Winchester and Hampshire Andover, referred to as the Andover Link Main (ALM) which would include the following components:
- Olivers Battery WBS MEICA upgrade
- New Crab Wood WSR to Micheldever Road WSR pipeline (~22km @ DN500)
- Cross connection to Micheldever Road WSR and associated pipework including new inlets and flow control valve arrangement
- New Micheldever Road WSR to River Way WSW pipeline (~2.9km @ DN400)
- River Way WSW installation of a new WBS
The utility has developed the scheme proposal to early outline design and are planning to complete this phase of work which would be provided within the tender documentation should Southern Water take the project to open market. The scheme comprises a detailed design and construction package, with enabling work to be completed prior to construction. This will also include support to discharge planning conditions and submission of certain environmental consent and permits.
Southern Water are emphasising that the purpose of the market engagement notice and RFI is to conduct a market testing exercise only – it will not formally begin the procurement nor constitute any commitment by Southern Water to undertake any procurement exercise. Any follow-up discussions will be solely for information and planning purposes.
The RFI will runs from 19th May to Friday 6th June – this period may be extended if Southern Water feel it beneficial to do so. The water company says it may undertake more targeted engagement with interested suppliers by interview and may also run subsequent market engagement events as required.
Current estimated start and end dates for the contract are 1 April 2026 to 29 March 2030. The water company currently expects to issue a formal tender notice for the contract in October 2025.
Click here to take part in the engagement – suppliers who are not already registered with Southern Water’s sourcing portal can also register here with the portal to access the RFI. A key project component schematic is also provided in the Sourcing Portal RFI.
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