Multi-million pound contracts have been awarded to maintain drinking water quality in parts of East Anglia.

Northumbrian Water, which is based in the North-East but also owns Essex & Suffolk Water, today announced framework partnership with four companies, potentially worth up to £333million over the next nine years.

The contracts, together worth around £37m a year, have been awarded for an initial three-year period, with an option for them to be extended by a further six years.

Fastflow Pipeline Services, which is based in Washington, Tyne & Wear, has won the major share of the work with an annual value of £20.5m in the North East and £9.5m in Essex.

Other contracts have been awarded to Crossglade, based in Chelmsford, with an annual value of £5m, Lowman from Southend-on-Sea, worth £1m a year, and T4 Survey, based in Ipswich, for work in Suffolk with an annual value of £1m.

Work coverd by the contrcts includes network improvements, water main installation and renewals, new service and meter connections, repair and maintenance, enabling works and reinstatement.

John Devall, water director for Northumbrian Water, said: “We are determined to maintain and improve the extremely high water quality and levels of services we currently deliver and these contracts will help us achieve our leading targets.

“This is great news for customers and also great news for the people who work for the chosen companies and their sub contactors.”

He added: “Selecting a special group of companies to help us deliver our investment programme allows us to guarantee work and quality standards at competitive prices and means we can develop mutually beneficial relationships.

“The work is of a specialised nature and the selected companies have a strong presence in the regions we operate in and, in turn, their success will also have a positive impact on a diverse and wide group of businesses regions-wide.”

Essex & Suffolk Water supplies water to 1.8million people, mainly in the Lowestoft and Chelmsford areas. Sewerage services in these areas are provided by Anglian Water which also supplies water across the parts of East Anglia which Essex & Suffolk does not cover.

Further framework contractss will follow next year when Northumbrian names partners to deliver investment in its treatment and sewerage assets.