Two major UK construction companies have been ordered to pay £21,800 for poor planning which led to water pollution at a construction site they were working on.

Interserve Plc, the services, maintenance and building group, has issued a confident trading update covering the period from 1 July 2009 to date.

After three years of planning and engineering work and more than 4,000 metres of pipe, work on Carlisle's £10 million sewer expansion scheme concluded on schedule this week.

Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group operating in construction services, professional services, support services and infrastructure investments, has issued an upbeat Interim Management Statement for the period 28 June to 10 November 2009.

Balfour Beatty has announced that existing shareholders have bought 97 per cent of 199.5 million new shares created to buy Parsons Brinckerhoff, with the remaining 6 million bought by other investors.

Engineering and construction group Costain has announced  that its forward order book has increased further to a new record level of £2.7 billion, up from £2.5 billion at 30 June 2009.

Thames Water has confirmed that it is unlikely to choose a contractor this year for the construction of the planned £400 million, seven kilometre Lee Tunnel.

IWO (Institution of Water Officers), the only professional body that is dedicated to supporting the careers of people working in the UK water industry, is being renamed the Institute of Water.