Scottish Water has announced the preferred bidder for a major part of its new £3.5 billion investment programme that will create new jobs in the building trades.

ESD (Efficient Service Delivery), a joint venture between Galliford Try, MWH Treatment and Black and Veatch, is the preferred bidder for a contract worth around £560 million over the next six years.

ESD will oversee the delivery of projects including work on reservoirs, water treatment works and pumping stations, which will help build on the significant improvements made to water services for the benefit of Scottish Water customers in recent years.

A further announcement of local contractors around Scotland to support the alliances in helping to deliver the overall programme is expected to be made later this spring, supporting employment in Scottish SMEs and helping to sustain local economies.

Douglas Millican, Chief Executive of Scottish Water said: “This is our third alliance appointment and the benefits for communities of Scotland across Scotland will be felt through all of these partnerships.

“Through the commitment of our alliance partners, 90 modern apprentice and 55 graduate roles will be created as a result of our investment programme in the three alliances. This reflects the commitment of Scottish Water to developing the next generation of people to take forward the future of the industry.

“As well as being good news for the economy, our investment programme will enable us to build on improvements to customer service around Scotland, while protecting and enhancing the environment.”