Award

Waterhelm Desalination trial

  • Mining Remediation Authority

UK6: Contract award notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-057456

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-059c66 (view related notices)

Published 17 September 2025, 3:59pm



Scope

Reference

CA18/2/31/3

Description

The Salinity Department are developing a programme of short trails to research technologies which may be of use when seeking solutions to the problems posed by rising saline mine water.

Waterwhelm is a start up company based in the UK, Waterwhelm have designed and developed an efficient "Forward Osmosis" technology which has the potential to deliver large savings when compared against existing "Reverse Osmosis" technology.

The prototype they have developed is highly mobile and can be deployed from shipping containers. Following a site visit in June this year, the Salinity team believe this technology is worthy of inclusion in the trials programme.

Due to a gap in Waterwhelm's scheduling, a window of opportunity has opened for us to launch the first of these trials.

The availability is from October to December of this year

The MRA have identified Lynemouth Mine Water Treatment Scheme (MWTS) as the site most suitable to run a Waterwhelm-operated pilot project. Waterwhelm's pilot plant deployed at Lynemouth MWTS will consist of two 20ft stacked shipping containers. These items of plant had previously operated at a capacity of 5m3/day, equivalent to reusing and processing 5,000 litres of wastewater or brackish water per day

This award has been made via the Direct Award route. A UK5 Transparency notice reference 2025/S 000-057402 has also been published.


Contract 1

Supplier

Contract value

  • £190,000 excluding VAT
  • £228,000 including VAT

Below the relevant threshold

Award decision date

17 September 2025

Earliest date the contract will be signed

30 September 2025

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 1 October 2025 to 31 December 2025
  • 3 months

Main procurement category

Works

CPV classifications

  • 42912340 - Desalination apparatus
  • 45232430 - Water-treatment work
  • 65122000 - Water desalination services

Contract locations

  • UKC - North East (England)
  • UKD - North West (England)
  • UKE - Yorkshire and the Humber
  • UKF - East Midlands (England)
  • UKG - West Midlands (England)
  • UKH - East of England
  • UKI - London
  • UKJ - South East (England)
  • UKK - South West (England)

Procedure

Procedure type

Below threshold - without competition


Supplier

waterwhelm

Suite 2, Orchard Brae House, 30 Queensferry Road

Edinburgh

EH4 2HS

United Kingdom

Region: UKM75 - Edinburgh, City of

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Contract 1


Contracting authority

Mining Remediation Authority

  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PRPD-5825-QDVY

200 Lichfield Lane

Nottinghamshire

NG18 4RG

United Kingdom

Region: UKF15 - North Nottinghamshire

Organisation type: Public authority - central government