Wessex Water has revised the capital cost (excluding VAT) of the Poole Water Recycling and Transfer Project upwards from £170 million to c £287 million to reflect the current capital value estimate. The water company is now planning another round of market engagement beginning with a webinar on 14th July 2026 to provide project updates and to update the market on the current project status.
The water company is leading the Poole Water Recycling and Transfer Project in partnership with the West Country Water and Environment Group (WCWE).
Wessex Water's intention is to procure a Competitively Appointed Provider (CAP) to design, build, finance, operate and maintain a new Poole Water Recycling and Transfer centre under the Direct Procurement for Customers (DPC) model.
At this stage the project scope comprises a new 30 Ml/d Water Recycling Centre at Corfe Mullen, together with ancillary associated works including transfer from the existing Poole Water Recycling Centre to the new Water Recycling Centre at Corfe Mullen, creation of new wetlands, and discharge pipelines.
The estimated capital value of the work is c.£287 million – revised upwards from the previous £170 million (excluding VAT) announced in September 2025.
The estimated total expenditure figure (inclusive of operating and maintenance costs) of £414 million including VAT currently remains unchanged.
In September last year Wessex Water held an in-person initial industry briefing and launch event, followed in October 2025 by bilateral discussions with interested parties from the target market.
Wessex Water is now inviting interested parties to participate in further market engagement activities as part of a planned ongoing programme of market engagement for the Poole Water Recycling and Transfer Project.
Wessex Water envisages that the webinar on 14 July will then be followed by a Poole engagement event Autumn 2026, followed by further bilateral meetings The water company says that only parties who have not registered previously will need to register as per the details below.
The programme is an opportunity for Wessex Water to engage and collaborate with the market in refining its delivery and commercial model, procurement approach and contracting terms.
In addition, it also seeks to encourage multi-party discussions that will align the project's development and presentation to market with market trends, taking into account the perspectives of both investors and main works contractors who it is envisaged would form and comprise the CAP.
Wessex Water is asking suppliers who had not registered interest in the project last year who would like to register for the webinar on 14 July to get in contact by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
If suppliers have registered last year a communication will be sent to the email addresses registered with the water company containing a MS Form link to express interest in the 14 July event. Suppliers whose contact details have changed since the previous market engagement should also notify the project team by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to ensure project communications are received.
Click here to access previous Market Engagement material published for the initial industry briefing and launch event in September 2025
James Sumsion, CEO of predictive water intelligence specialists Kohtari, says the water sector needs to take a giant leap forward, so that it can anticipate and act upon water quality issues - rather than merely react.
Ray Moulds, Sales Director at Flood Control International, takes a look at how automated sliding floodgates are supporting secondary containment at water and sewerage company sites.
With the UK government demanding a 50% reduction in storm overflow spills by 2029, the era of reactive management is over. Speaking in the House of Commons on 21 July 2025, then environment secretary Steve Reed said, “This Government will cut water companies’ sewage pollution in half by the end of the decade.”
ERG, the leading supplier of odour control systems and industrial gas cleaning & thermal systems, has been awarded the coveted King’s Award for Enterprise.
Hear how Scottish Water has completed its £235 million Ayrshire Glasgow Resilience Project - customers across Greater Glasgow, Ayrshire and East Renfrewshire will now benefit from a more secure and resilient water supply.
Hear how United Utilities is accelerating its investment to reduce spills from storm overflows across the Northwest.
Find out more about the remarkable career opportunities on offer at WSP - scroll down to watch the inspirational video.