Yorkshire Water appoints Barhale to deliver major new reservoir for Scarborough

Yorkshire Water has selected Barhale to construct a new drinking water storage facility in Scarborough as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen supply resilience across the region.

The £16 million project will provide a modern replacement for ageing reservoir infrastructure that has served local communities for generations. Once complete, the new facility will increase

storage capacity while supporting future population growth and long-term network reliability.

At the centre of the scheme is the construction of Springhill Reservoir No.3, a reinforced concrete structure capable of storing 17.3 million litres of treated water. The reservoir will replace two existing assets at the site, including Springhill Reservoir No.1, which has been in operation for more than nine decades.

The new facility has been designed with two separate storage chambers, allowing maintenance and operational work to be carried out without affecting overall supply security.

Construction will take place alongside the existing reservoir complex due to land constraints at the site. To improve efficiency and reduce disruption, large sections of the structure will be manufactured off-site before being transported and assembled in Scarborough.

As well as the reservoir itself, the project includes new pipelines, pumping infrastructure and associated control equipment. Existing assets that are no longer required will be removed from service once the new installation becomes operational.

Yorkshire Water believes the investment will provide greater flexibility within its network while helping ensure reliable drinking water supplies for customers across Scarborough and neighbouring communities.

Early investigation and survey work is already underway, with main construction activities expected to begin in 2027.

The contract adds to Barhale’s growing portfolio of work with Yorkshire Water following the contractor’s recent appointment to the utility company's AMP8 infrastructure programme.

Johannes Esterhuyse, Regional Director for Yorkshire at Barhale, said:

“This project is fundamental to securing long-term water resilience for Scarborough and the surrounding communities. The new reservoir will provide the storage capacity needed to maintain service standards while allowing the safe retirement of existing infrastructure.

“We look forward to working closely with Yorkshire Water to deliver a durable asset that will serve customers for decades to come.”

The scheme forms part of wider investment across the water sector aimed at modernising ageing assets, improving resilience and ensuring infrastructure is capable of meeting future environmental and operational challenges.