Amp8
What do people say about your company when you’re not in the room?
AMP8 has everyone chasing the work. But the standards your teams keep on site are what decide whether you keep it.
Gemma Walsh Woodcock
news round up
Live Mains Round-Up: October 2026.
Five stories from the water sector this month: Ofwat's draft £240m bill reduction, £771m of AMP8 contract awards, Thames Water's £4bn major projects framework, a 9km mains renewal in Sheffield and a warning on electrical skills.
Built to last: why mains renewal needs standards people can see
A record investment, a new workforce and a food-grade product AMP8 is the largest investment period the water sector has seen. £104bn of spending has been confirmed across England and Wales between 2025 and 2030. United Utilities describes its own programme as the most significant transformation of the region’
The knowledge walking out the door
Thousands of new people are joining the water industry to help deliver AMP8. At the same time, many of our most experienced people are getting ready to retire. Are we talking about that gap? And more importantly, are we doing anything about it? Across energy and utilities, more than 105,
Live Mains Round-Up: September 2026.
Five stories from the water sector this month: a Water Bill that lifts the cap on government shareholdings, Ofwat's £3.4bn draft allowances, a record year for Thames Water apprenticeships and two AMP8 contract awards. Water Bill to remove cap on government shareholdings in water companies A strengthened
When delivery outpaces readiness
AMP8 is a huge opportunity, and it's also exposing a huge risk. Tier two owners keep telling me the same thing, teams failing inspections, missing basic, sometimes mandatory requirements, and it's widespread. So who's responsible, the water company, the tier one contractor, the supervisor,
Welcome to Live Mains
AMP8 is the biggest investment cycle in a century and the industry's main delivery challenge is culture. Here's why standards start at your desk, not on site.