J Murphy & Sons starts work next spring on one of the biggest storm water outfall pipes in the UK.

Above: Murphy completed the Harrowside outfall last year

United Utilities has selected Murphy’s marine service, formerly Land & Marine, to build the 2.5m-diameter and 3.7km-long Anchorsholme polyethelene outfall pipe

The contract award follows the completion of the Harrowside outfall by the contractor for United Utilities in 2015.

Anchorsholme long sea outfall forms part of the United Utilities’ strategy to improve the bathing water quality along the Fylde Coast. The outfall capacity is specifically designed to allow storm water to flow far enough out to sea to prevent it affecting bathing water quality.

The planning, procurement and design stage have begun. Mobilisation on-site is scheduled for March 2017. The works will involve the construction of a 500-metre long sheet piled cofferdam on the beach with dredging operations out to 3.7km offshore.

The pipeline will be assembled off-site and towed to Blackpool for installation in August 2017, followed by trench backfilling and diffuser installation works. The Murphy work barge, LM Constructor, will be used for the marine operations, including installing hundreds of large concrete collars and ballast weights needed to ensure the stability of the pipeline. The outfall project is due for completion in December 2017.

Jim Yerkess, operations director for Murphy’s natural resources team, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded this contract, which is testament to the skills and experience of our marine services and the successful delivery of our other recent projects for United Utilities.”