September 19, 2025
United Utilities has launched a major infrastructure programme, investing over £380 million to upgrade more than 925km of water mains across the North West over the next five years. This large scale initiative aims to rehabilitate aging pipelines using modern, durable materials to strengthen the region’s water supply network and improve long-term reliability.
In the next 12 months, hundreds of kilometres of mains will be replaced, with major works planned across Cheshire, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Cumbria, and Merseyside, as well as continued upgrades on the Vyrnwy Aqueduct.
To deliver this scale of work efficiently and with minimal disruption to communities, United Utilities is employing trenchless installation techniques. These methods allow new pipelines to be installed inside existing ones, avoiding the need for extensive excavation — a crucial advantage in urban and high-traffic areas.
Why Trenchless Techniques Are Used in Water Main Rehabilitation
Trenchless methods are widely adopted in rehabilitation projects for several important reasons:
- Minimal surface disruption – Reducing the need for open-cut trenches limits the impact on roads, businesses, and local communities
- Faster installation – Trenchless techniques help keep projects on schedule and reduce costs tied to traffic management and reinstatement
- Versatility – Suitable for a range of pipe materials and conditions, trenchless solutions are adaptable and efficient
Grant Batty, Water Services Director at United Utilities, summed up their approach:
“We know this type of work will inevitably cause some disruption, but we will be doing everything we can to keep this to a minimum. For example, we will be using trenchless techniques wherever possible to reduce disruption by tunnelling under the road to prevent the need to dig a trench across a whole street or road.”
The 10-Minute Test Method
At AHS Pipeline Innovation, we specialise in pressure testing solutions that meet the needs of today’s water infrastructure projects — where safety, accuracy, and minimal disruption are non-negotiable.
Our 10-Minute pressure test is an exclusive solution, developed in-house by our engineers specifically for water main rehabilitation projects. This unique method enables water companies and contractors to carry out pressure testing quickly, without compromising accuracy. It’s especially valuable in residential areas and other sensitive locations, where prolonged testing or extended site works could cause significant disruption to existing infrastructure.
But what sets us apart at AHS is more than the testing itself — it’s the depth of technical support and operational expertise behind it. We don’t just follow industry standards — we help shape them. As active contributors to the development of the new WIS specification, our testing methods reflect the most up-to-date best practices and regulatory expectations. Every test we carry out is supported by independent analysis and complete test certificates, giving our clients full confidence in their results.
In large-scale rehabilitation programmes like United Utilities’ regional upgrade, where efficiency and precision must go hand in hand, the 10-minute pressure test offers an ideal solution for minimising disruption without compromising on compliance. For more information about the 10-minute test and our other pressure testing solutions, please talk to the AHS team today.