Jacobs has been awarded a place on Affinity Water’s River Restoration Framework, providing management, appraisal, modelling and design input for river restoration schemes across Affinity Water’s catchments in England.

A multidisciplinary team from Jacobs, including fluvial geomorphologists, aquatic ecologists, hydrologists, hydraulic modelers, engineers, stakeholder engagement and environmental assessment professionals, will collaborate with the client and other framework partners with a goal to revitalize chalk rivers in the south of England.

Through the framework Jacobs will be supporting Affinity Water to meet its obligations under environmental regulations and the recent drive towards sustainable water use by offsetting artificial changes to the water environment through river restoration and improvements.

Affinity Water estimates the contract value at £3 million, delivering river restoration across 14 river catchments from 2020 to 2025.

“Our diverse team brings significant experience around river and wetland restoration and will help Affinity Water drive forward sustainable design,” said Jacobs People & Places Solutions Senior Vice President and General Manager, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Donald Morrison. “The program of restoration works will help to improve water quality, geomorphological processes, numbers and diversity of fish and other aquatic species, and will improve community access and connectivity with the rivers and riparian habitat.”

At the end of September Affinity Water announced that for the first time it will voluntarily stop abstracting water from boreholes at the head of the Chess Valley which affects the River Chess, one of England’s iconic chalk streams.