Boulting Group expands Environment Agency contract

Boutling Group's long-term relationship with Environment Agency has been boosted as the engineering solutions provider has been given the opportunity to deliver maintenance services and engineering across additional North-West sites.

The Environment Agency's remit is to protect and improve the environment and to promote sustainable development across England and Wales.

In the face of recent high profile weather events, one of its highest priorities continues to be managing the risk of flooding. It operates a vast network of flood defence assets across the UK, which are used to prevent flooding by protecting high-risk areas and channelling large volumes of water back to the sea when flooding occurs.

To ensure continuing reliability of these invaluable assets the EA undertakes a wide reaching maintenance programme with the help of various subcontractors.

Boulting first worked with EA in 2004-05 after a fire broke out at its Bedford Pumping Station causing damage to the electrical systems.

Over a six-month period Jon Mellor, boulting project manager, and his team installed a new MCC system – while keeping vital pump systems operational.

The client was impressed with the standard of the work carried out and the levels of service provided. This helped the Boulting Group win a five-year term maintenance contract.

Commencing in 2005 the contract covered the large North-West region of the UK, from just south of Kendal to the surrounds of Cheshire, and focused on the requirements of EA's flood prevention equipment.

In the first five year of term maintenance time was invested to bringing pump station reliability up to the recognised standard.

The Boulting team were responsible for 260 sites, all varying in size and scope, providing M&E maintenance services, 24 hours a day.

In 2010 Boulting was awarded a framework for a further five years with continuous improvements for planned M&E maintenance, safety improvements, asset improvements and renewals to MCC's and pumps.

EA has now expanded the area to be covered by the maintenance contract to include the north area from Kendal to the Scottish borders.

Assisted by (Boulting's) Sellafield team, Boulting will be giving 24/7 cover and M&E maintenance to all EA North-West flood defence assets.

The 300 sites range from multi pump stations and flood gates to river levels sensing stations. Services will include full M&E design, electrical maintenance and installations for offices, instrumentation, power and control, PLC's, switchgear and software,