Residents living near Woodgate Hill are being invited to a public information session as preparatory work for one of the UK’s largest water infrastructure projects moves closer to Bury.
What is happening in Bury
United Utilities is hosting the event to update local people on the Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme (HARP). The multi-billion-pound programme is intended to safeguard drinking water supplies across the North West for decades to come. Work at the Woodgate Hill Water Treatment Works is scheduled to enter an enabling phase in August, with major construction to follow.
Why the project matters
The Haweswater Aqueduct, built in the 1950s, is a key element of the region’s water network. It stretches approximately 110 km and carries roughly 570 million litres of water each day by gravity alone, supplying about 2.5 million customers across Lancashire and Greater Manchester. Under HARP, six sections of the ageing tunnel infrastructure will be replaced as part of a wider refurbishment totalling between £2.5 billion and £2.9 billion.
Works planned at Woodgate Hill
Documents submitted to Bury Council earlier this year set out initial measures required under the planning permission granted in 2023. Those plans detail enabling activity expected to begin in 2026, including temporary access roads, drainage, welfare facilities, security fencing and materials and waste management arrangements. In Bury, a compound will be created within the existing Woodgate Hill site to support delivery of the tunnelling work.
- Event: Public information session for local residents
- Start of enabling works: August 2026 (preparatory items)
- Scope: Replacement of six tunnel sections as part of HARP
Engagement and contractors
United Utilities has said keeping communities informed is a priority. Its delivery partner, Cascade Infrastructure, is scheduled to begin work later in the year. The utility’s engagement lead for HARP emphasised the scale of the programme.
"HARP is one of the largest water infrastructure programmes in the UK."
For local residents, the immediate implications will be the presence of construction traffic, temporary site works and the creation of a compound at Woodgate Hill. The planning documents set out how materials and waste will be managed; the information session is intended to allow residents to discuss those arrangements directly with project representatives.
Longer term, the works form part of an effort to modernise infrastructure that has been in place for more than seven decades and to protect water supplies for millions of customers across the North West. The public event represents an opportunity for people in Bury to raise concerns and seek clarity about timescales, traffic management and local environmental controls while enabling works are underway.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Aqueduct length | 110 km |
| Daily volume carried | 570 million litres |
| Customers served | 2.5 million |
| Project value | £2.5bn–£2.9bn |
