6 December 2012

United Utilities and Costain’s joint venture with GallifordTry and Atkins, GCA, have won a top environmental award for the work on the High Lane Service Reservoir in Stockport, Cheshire.

The project received a Silver Award from Green Apple for demonstrating Environmental Best Practice in the construction of a 28 mega litre (28 million litres) service reservoir at the Wybersley Water Treatment Works.

The Green Apple Awards are organised by The Green Organisation, an independent, non-political, non-activist, non-profit environment group dedicated to recognising, rewarding and promoting environmental best practice around the world.

The new reservoir will ensure the supply of drinking water to homes and businesses in the Stockport Metropolitan Borough which includes Stockport, Wilmslow, Macclesfield, Whaley Bridge, Disley and High Lane.

The project was recognised for protecting the wider environment by minimising traffic movement, reducing the materials required and the waste produced by developing sustainable solutions at every stage of the project.

In its assessment, Green Apple applauded the United Utilities and GCA team for retaining and reusing all excavated materials and for optimising the use of site aggregates elsewhere on the project;  for minimising the need for excavation by using advanced geotechnical analysis and design; for employing innovative solutions to reduce the need to use concrete assisting in a significant reduction in the sites carbon footprint; for developing a solution to manage surface water run-off and for minimising pollution by working with its partners and the Environment Agency.

The team was also commended for its close community and customer engagement, which addressed any issues from local residents promptly and proactively.

Green Apple said the GCA JV’s wider programme of works with United Utilities will benefit from the Best Practice solutions demonstrated on the site and bring long-term sustainable benefits to the local area.

It added that the team’s positive ‘can do’ culture enabled the whole site team to engage with, and see the benefits of, employing measures which were environmentally sustainable.

The award submission was compiled by United Utilities, GCA’s Environmental Team and the High Lane site team.

Commenting on the Award, Richard Helme, GCA’s Senior Site Manager at High Lane, said: “The team is delighted to have been recognised for this award. The scheme was specifically designed from its concept stages to reduce the potential for adverse environmental effects and extensive measures were taken to reduce the effects of the construction process, including a restriction on working hours, traffic safety and the construction of a grassed earth mound to reduce the effects of noise and dust.”

 

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