AMP8: Turning water industry investment into operational performance

We spoke with Greig Walliss, Water & Manufacturing Sector Manager at Actemium UK, about the engineering challenges facing the sector and how early collaboration, standardisation and carefully planned modernisation can turn AMP8 investment into long-term operational performance.

Greig, in your opinion, what are the biggest challenges facing water companies during AMP8?

Well, to begin with, the scale of AMP8 is unlike anything the sector has experienced before.

Water companies are being asked to deliver major investment programmes while keeping critical treatment and distribution assets operating day in, day out.

At the same time, many are dealing with ageing infrastructure, increasing asset obsolescence, growing cybersecurity requirements and the challenge of integrating new technologies with existing control and automation systems.

Add pressure on engineering resources and delivery teams, and it is easy to see why AMP8 is such a significant undertaking.

But for me, the biggest challenge is not simply delivering projects faster. It is delivering them safely and efficiently, while maintaining compliance, minimising disruption and ensuring assets perform as intended from day one.

Ultimately, water companies want confidence that today’s investment will improve resilience tomorrow, support future demand and deliver long-term operational value.

From experience, what would you say separates successful AMP8 projects from those that struggle?

Early engineering involvement makes the biggest difference.

When operations, process, automation, electrical and commissioning teams are involved at the planning stage, risks are identified much earlier. That allows projects to be designed around operational constraints, planned shutdowns and commissioning requirements before they become programme issues.

Too often, though, operational readiness becomes a discussion near the end of a project. By that stage, many important decisions have already been made.

The most successful projects are therefore those where the people responsible for operating and maintaining the asset have helped shape the solution from the beginning.

This results in smoother delivery, fewer surprises during commissioning and better operational outcomes after handover.

Standardisation is a major AMP8 theme. Why is it so important?

Because no company can afford to reinvent the wheel hundreds of times across AMP8.

Standardisation helps increase delivery capacity while maintaining quality and consistency. Proven control system architectures, modular panel designs, tested software libraries and repeatable commissioning processes can significantly reduce engineering effort and programme durations.

Our experience also shows that the benefits extend well beyond project delivery. Standardised solutions simplify training, improve troubleshooting and make future upgrades easier by building on proven foundations.

It is important to remember that good standardisation is not about making every site identical. It is about applying proven approaches while retaining flexibility to meet local operational requirements.

Obsolescence and modernisation are two other big topics in the water sector right now. How should organisations approach them best?

Many water and wastewater sites rely on control systems that have been performing critical functions for decades.

The real challenge today is modernising those systems without disrupting operations.

We are seeing increasing demand for phased migration strategies that allow customers to address obsolescence while protecting service continuity. Rather than waiting for unsupported equipment to become a business continuity risk, organisations can modernise in planned stages that spread investment over time.

The objective is not simply to replace ageing technology. It is to improve reliability, strengthen cybersecurity, increase visibility and create assets that are easier to support in the future.

Where can integrated delivery partners add the most value in your view?

One of the biggest risks on large programmes is managing interfaces between multiple organisations.

A typical project may involve consultants, OEMs, panel builders, installation contractors, commissioning teams and operational stakeholders. Every handover creates potential for delays, misunderstandings or rework.

Actemium UK has supported the water sector for more than 30 years, working with customers including Southern Water, Yorkshire Water, United Utilities, Thames Water and Guernsey Water.

Because we operate across the full asset lifecycle – from scope definition and consultancy through to design, automation, control panels, installation, commissioning, modernisation and long-term maintenance – we can reduce handovers between teams and maintain continuity.

This approach gives customers greater confidence in delivery and in achieving the operational value they expect.

How is Actemium UK helping water companies turn investment into long-term operational performance?

We’re already supporting water companies in addressing many of the challenges associated with AMP8, particularly around ageing infrastructure, control system obsolescence and operational resilience.

For example, at Yorkshire Water’s Kirkhamgate Water Treatment Works, we modernised obsolete PLC and HMI systems while maintaining water production throughout the migration. This provided a more reliable, maintainable and secure control platform, reducing operational risk and supporting future upgrades.

For United Utilities, we’ve delivered improvements to Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) control systems, helping improve consistency, standardisation and environmental performance.

We’re also supporting Guernsey Water through a three-year systems integration framework, covering control system upgrades, automation and ongoing technical support to improve asset reliability and resilience.

These projects demonstrate that successful modernisation isn’t simply about replacing ageing technology. It’s about making existing assets work better, reducing operational risk and building the flexibility needed to meet future demands.

Finally, what do you think will define success during AMP8?

At the end of the day, customers want assets that make life easier for the people running them.

They want better visibility of what’s happening across their sites, faster fault diagnosis, improved resilience and a more proactive approach to maintenance.

They want systems that are easier to operate, support and maintain over the long term.

For me, the true measure of AMP8 success isn’t how many projects get delivered. It’s what happens afterwards. Are the assets performing as expected? Are they easier to operate and maintain? Do they help teams respond faster, improve resilience and prepare for future challenges?

That’s where the real value lies.

AMP8 is a huge investment, but its success will ultimately be judged by the operational improvements it creates.

How Actemium UK can support your AMP8 programme

From early-stage advice and design through to installation, commissioning and ongoing support, Actemium UK works with water companies and delivery partners to turn complex engineering challenges into reliable, future-ready solutions.