Southern Water Appoints Kent-Based Waste Management Support

The expertise of Countrystyle Recycling Ltd and FGS Organics Ltd is set to help Southern Water’s major push to enhance its wastewater removal performance and bolster operational resilience across its patch.

The two companies, both part of Heathcote Holdings based at Pluckley in Kent, have been appointed alongside seven others to help Southern Water improve the performance of its water and wastewater services to East and West Sussex, Kent, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

The contract will deliver a wide range of waste removal services, from emergency call-outs to scheduled site waste management. The appointed companies will work closely with Southern Water to meet customer service expectations and contribute to the company’s environmental improvement goals in the coming years.

Countrystyle Recycling Ltd and FGS Organics Ltd are joining seven other companies that between them will supply essential services, such as reactive and planned tankering, grit and screening recycling, general and specialist waste disposal, as well as sludge management and spreading.

The four-year contract, worth a total of £550 million, begins in 2025, with an option to extend for an additional four years. If extended, the total potential expenditure could reach approximately £1.09 billion across the nine companies.

Mike Chapman, Southern Water’s Head of Contractor Service Delivery, said: “This strategic framework agreement will play a vital role in supporting our business and operational demands and achieve enhanced resilience throughout the next Asset Management Period (AMP8).

“We also have a layered approach to the frameworks contracts, where core work will be carried out by primary suppliers and supported by a pool of secondary suppliers, providing greater resilience.”

Martin Heathcote, Chief Executive of Heathcote Holdings, said: “It’s great that the quality of our two teams has been recognised by Southern Water and we look forward to playing a part in helping them meet the expectations of the public and improve the performance of their wastewater treatment operations.”

Countrystyle Recycling Ltd will manage the planned transfer of inter-site sludge from the wastewater treatment plants and FGS Organics Ltd will supply secondary reactive and planned tankering services.