Construction is due to start next month on the £60m water treatment works at a site in Roborough to the north of the city.

PWN Technologies, a leading water technology company based in the Netherlands, will be responsible for the design, installation and commissioning of the main water treatment process.

The new technology based on the SIX/CeraMac process uses suspended ion exchange, inline coagulation and ceramic membrane microfiltration, which is new to the UK.

Arcadis and Pell Frischmann are on board as the designers as part of  South West Water’s H5O engineering delivery alliance with the contractors.

The works will replace an outdated treatment works at Crownhill in Plymouth, which was built in the 1950s and is reaching the end of its useful life.

The main construction is scheduled to finish by December 2017 and become operational in September 2018, with the existing Crownhill works retiring from service a few months later.

Around 150 people are expected to be employed during construction.

Senior project manager Mike Court said: “We’re delighted to officially welcome our partners PWN Technologies, Balfour Beatty, Interserve, Arcadis and Pell Frishmann on board for what promises to be a very exciting and globally significant project.

“The new treatment works will meet the needs of Plymouth’s growing population and provide a secure, high-quality drinking water supply for the wider Plymouth area for generations to come.”