England-based public wastewater collection and treatment company, Southern Water, has launched a tender seeking a contractor to design and build a new £84 million ($112.8 million) pipeline to improve drought resilience and protect environmentally sensitive chalk streams.

The proposed Andover Link Main (ALM) project includes the construction of a 25-kilometre pipeline connecting the water zones of Andover and Winchester. It will be delivered under a design-and-build contract, with a single principal contractor responsible for detailed design, enabling works, and securing necessary environmental and planning approvals.

The pipeline is a key component of Southern Water’s Water Resources Management Plan,  a direct response to requirements from the Environment Agency to reduce water abstraction from the River Test and River Itchen. Both rivers are designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), with the River Itchen also classified as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

Expected to be completed by March 2030, the pipeline will allow a two-way transfer of up to 15 million litres of water per day between the two zones. This will significantly enhance drought resilience for the Andover Water Resource Zone, which is currently not connected to the broader water infrastructure network. 

The project also includes upgrades to new and existing booster stations. The initiative supports legal obligations under the Water Resources Act 1991 and follows a public inquiry into the environmental impacts of water abstraction. 

Southern Water intends to award the contract by May 2026, with the contract period running from June 2026 to March 2030. 

Interested firms have until 4 p.m. on Oct. 27 to submit their requests to participate, with Southern Water expected to shortlist six to eight firms after the vetting.