A new report says that Yorkshire Water’s upcoming AMP5 spend will create a £6 billion ‘ripple effect’ in the Yorkshire economy over the next five years.

Yorkshire Water’s huge impact on the Yorkshire economy is revealed in a new report by the University of Leeds, which calculates that for every £1 the company spends, a further 90p of wealth is generated in the local economy.

On this basis the company’s £1.9 billion investment in infrastructure and £1.5 billion in operating expenditure will create over £6 billion of economic activity over the next five years.

One of the first areas set to experience the ‘ripple effect’ brought about by the company’s spending is Clarence Dock – home to the company’s newly created 500 strong Asset Delivery Unit. Based out of Livingstone House, the Unit will be responsible for the implementation of all infrastructure improvement projects over the next five years, with work on the ground due to begin from April onwards.  The new Department wil be headed up by Charlie Haysom

Richard Flint, chief operating officer at Yorkshire Water, commented:

"As a company, we don't just pump water into our region. We also pump millions of pounds into the local economy.

"Over the next five years we'll be spending £3.5 billion to improve our water and sewage network and the region's beaches, bathing waters and rivers - that's £2 million everyday that we'll be pumping into the Yorkshire economy.

"As a major local employer in Yorkshire, this investment will have a hugely positive effect on the region's economic growth, with the benefits of this expected to be felt in the pockets of people right across Yorkshire. What's more, most of the knock-on spending from our suppliers and colleagues is expected to be retained within the region, which is great news for the local economy at a time when it's most needed."

Some of the investment Yorkshire Water has planned for the region over the course of the next five years includes:

• £110 million to help improve bathing water quality along Yorkshire's East coast - boosting tourism and benefitting local businesses like hotels and restaurants
• £100 million to reduce the number of sewer flooding incidents and protect the company's sewage treatment £92 million to improve the quality of drinking water and secure drinking water supplies

Last week the company named the seven contract partners who will help deliver a £1.35billion infrastructure upgrade during its AMP5 programme  - Mott MacDonald Bentley, BarhaleWSP, Earth Tech Morrison, Morgan Est Grontmij, Byzac/Entec, Balfour Beatty and Morrison Utility Services.  The partners will form part of the asset delivery unit.