In a move set to transform water supply infrastructure across northwest England, United Utilities has announced a landmark £3 billion agreement with Cascade Infrastructure to overhaul the aging Haweswater Aqueduct. The project, known as the Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme (HARP), is being hailed as one of the largest water infrastructure undertakings in British history, promising not just a more secure water supply for millions but also hundreds of new jobs and a benchmark for industry innovation.
The aqueduct itself is a marvel of mid-20th-century engineering. Stretching an impressive 110 kilometers (or 68 miles), the pipeline was originally constructed between 1933 and 1955, according to Place and Infrastructure Intelligence. For over seventy years, it has quietly carried approximately 570 million liters of water each day from the Haweswater Reservoir in Cumbria to 2.5 million customers in Greater Manchester and Lancashire. That’s the equivalent of nearly 250 Olympic-sized swimming pools—every single day—all powered by gravity alone.
But as the decades have passed, the aqueduct’s age has started to show. With the region’s population growing and climate pressures mounting, the need for an upgrade became impossible to ignore. Enter HARP, a comprehensive programme to replace six critical tunnel sections of the aqueduct, most of the work taking place deep underground with the help of tunnel boring machines. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026, with the project expected to unfold over eight years in a phased approach, according to Place and United Utilities.
The delivery team for this mammoth task is Cascade Infrastructure, a consortium led by Austrian contractor Strabag. The group also includes Equitix and GLIL Infrastructure—the latter backed by the Greater Manchester Pension Fund and London Pensions Fund Authority. Notably, Arup has been contracted by Strabag UK to provide essential design services, ensuring the project benefits from global expertise at every stage. Turner & Townsend, meanwhile, has been appointed as the independent technical adviser, providing oversight and assurance throughout the process.
What sets this project apart from other infrastructure upgrades isn’t just its sheer scale or the complexity of tunneling beneath the countryside. HARP will be the first major water sector initiative in the UK to be delivered through a Direct Procurement for Customers (DPC) model. This innovative approach is designed to ensure the best value for bill payers, with private sector partners taking responsibility for design, construction, financing, and long-term maintenance. According to Ofwat, the industry regulator that approved the scheme, this model is a “sector first” and offers a new benchmark for collaboration and innovation in the water industry.
Louise Beardmore, Chief Executive of United Utilities, underscored the significance of the agreement in a statement released on August 21, 2025. “Making the North West stronger, greener and healthier is at the heart of everything we do. Today marks a significant step to ensure we have the right infrastructure to provide a resilient water supply to communities right across the region for decades to come and, at the same time, creating hundreds of great quality jobs and delivering on the commitments and promises we have set out,” she said, as reported by Infrastructure Intelligence and Place.
The economic impact of the project will be substantial. At peak construction, the programme is expected to employ around 1,200 people, providing a boost not only to local employment but also to the broader regional economy. “It’s not just about securing the water supplies we need for our city region to grow—it’s also about creating jobs, building skills, and delivering long-term value for our communities,” said Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, in comments carried by Place and United Utilities.
Water Minister Emma Hardy also emphasized the broader significance of the project, describing HARP as “one of the largest infrastructure projects ever seen in Britain.” She added, “We are rebuilding the water network from the ground up through one of the largest infrastructure projects ever seen in Britain. In a new era of partnership between government and industry, we are upgrading pipes, tackling sewage spills and safeguarding water security so communities can once again take pride in their rivers, lakes and seas. Investments in projects like the Haweswater Aqueduct will be essential in this effort to secure clean water for future generations.”
Ofwat’s senior director Chris Taylor-Dawson reflected on the project’s broader legacy, stating: “This is a huge development for the North West, and the programme is the first of its kind for the sector approved by Ofwat—marking a huge step forward for the water industry as a whole. Safeguarding water resilience for generations to come is vital and HARP sets a new standard for innovation and collaboration in the sector. Together we are delivering more than just infrastructure—we are investing in communities, protecting the environment and creating opportunities.”
The Haweswater Aqueduct’s original construction, which began in 1933 and took 22 years to complete, was itself a feat of ambition and perseverance. The pipeline’s gravity-fed design has served the region reliably for decades, but as infrastructure ages and demands shift, even the most robust systems require renewal. The new programme will see six of the aqueduct’s tunnel sections replaced in a way that minimizes surface disruption—most of the work will be carried out below ground, out of sight but not out of mind.
For many in the region, the upgrade is about more than pipes and tunnels. It’s a matter of future-proofing a vital resource. As Beardmore put it, the project is about “delivering on the commitments and promises we have set out.” And for local leaders, it’s a chance to ensure that Greater Manchester and Lancashire remain resilient in the face of climate change, population growth, and the ever-present need for clean, reliable water.
With the formalities now concluded and contracts signed, the stage is set for a new era in British water infrastructure. The coming years will see heavy machinery, skilled workers, and international expertise converging beneath the fields and towns of northwest England—all in service of a simple but essential goal: keeping the taps running for generations to come.
As the first shovels are set to break ground in 2026, the Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme stands as a testament to the power of partnership, innovation, and forward-thinking investment. And while the work may be largely invisible to those above ground, its impact will be felt in every home, business, and community that relies on the lifeblood flowing from Cumbria to the heart of the North West.
