United Utilities has secured £800 million from long-term UK and international shareholders to support a significant expansion of its water and wastewater upgrade, known as the BIG North West upgrade, across the region.
The funding forms part of an additional £2.5 billion proposed investment by 2030 to ensure the utility’s networks can keep pace with economic growth, housing development, and emerging sectors such as data centres and clean energy.
Lou Beardmore, chief executive of United Utilities, said: “It’s crucial that we can support regional growth with reliable, resilient services, and that’s why we have asked our shareholders to help fund this further BIG North West upgrade of the region’s water and wastewater infrastructure.
“We are proud that the fundraising was strongly supported by shareholders from Melbourne to Merseyside, providing us with new capital to put to work in communities across the North West.”
The new commitment is in addition to United Utilities’ existing £13.5 billion investment plan for 2025-2030 and is expected to create 4,000 new jobs on top of the 30,000 already supported by current schemes.
Rising demand is being fuelled by an increase of 66,000 homes in the Government’s regional housebuilding targets since 2024, as well as the region’s growing need for water and wastewater services to support economic expansion.
Ofwat, the industry regulator, is currently reviewing an initial investment package of around £1.4 billion.
This includes £220 million for a non-potable water supply to the Hynet clean energy cluster in Ellesmere Port, £200 million for new water infrastructure to support proposed data centres in East Manchester, and £350 million for new wastewater treatment capacity at 34 sites to support 100,000 people.
A further £410 million is earmarked for upgrading boreholes and refurbishing water storage facilities.
The submission has the support of key regional stakeholders, with a draft decision expected in August and a final decision in December.
Together, the existing and new investment programmes are aimed at improving network resilience and supporting the shift to a low-carbon, digitally driven economy.