Deal signed by DE&S to supply water to the forces

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Published 19th April 2018.

DE&S has agreed a £33.5 million contract for the design, manufacture, supply and support of a Combat Water Supply System (CWSS) to provide safe drinking water for UK forces deployed abroad.

The five-year contract will see KBR bring into service a water purification, storage and distribution system, designed to deliver potable and palatable water.

Solider in uniform looks sternly at the camera

"This system will ensure the availability
of high quality water wherever we are in
the world, drastically reducing our reliance
on bottled water, saving money and lessening
the environmental impact"

Major General Colin McClean

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It will be available for combat operations and for personnel deployed on humanitarian missions such as the recent deployments to the British Virgin Islands where the UK military provided life-saving support following the devastating hurricanes.

Once operational, KBR will provide fully integrated Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) through to 2025 with responsibility for the design, manufacture, testing and supply of each of the variants of the CWSS.

Major General Colin McClean, Director Land Equipment at DE&S said:

I am delighted we are working with KBR to deliver this critical capability to our land forces.

The Combat Water Supply System will ensure the availability of high quality water wherever we are in the world, drastically reducing our reliance on bottled water, saving money and lessening the environmental impact.

I know our user community cannot wait to get their hands on this new kit.

The objective of the CWSS programme is to deliver an end-to-end solution spanning the provision of water from its source to the point of use. Specifically, CWSS will be required to purify water from various sources, test and assure water quality, store, distribute and issue water to doctrinally mandated volumes.

During the contractor logistics support phase, KBR will be responsible for the maintenance of the CWSS capability to agreed readiness and availability levels.