£80m Manchester treatment works deal reaches final stages

The three rivals battling for an £80m sludge treatment deal in Manchester have been asked to work up best and final offers.

The line-up for Contract 2 of United Utilities' Sludge Balanced Asset Programme is Black & Veatch; Aker Solutions E&C/Biwater Treatment jv; and Carillion Capital Projects in tandem with AECOM Design and Build (formerly Earth Tech Engineering).

A project source said: "It's unusual for all the bidders for a contract to reach the final stages of the process which points to a very tight contest."

The plant is expected to be up and running early in 2011.