RSE marks International Women in Engineering Day as female led team delivers landmark £72m water treatment upgrade

This International Women in Engineering Day, we are showcasing the contributions of RSE Delivery Manager, Kirsty Ennion, who is driving innovation in the water industry as work nears completion on what is set to become the world’s largest ceramic membrane treatment plant.

She has led the £72 million refurbishment of our Hampton Loade Water Treatment Works (WTW) project since early 2022, which forms part of South Staffordshire Water’s investment upgrade programme.

The third water treatment facility at the site was designed to increase the capacity of its existing water treatment assets which were becoming increasingly environmentally and financially unviable.

Kirsty led the delivery of the civil subcontract, enabling works and modular design, including the off-site build approach and the use of IO-Link smart sensor technology to reduce cost and carbon output. She has since guided the project through commissioning and into its warranty period and the upgraded facility will improve water quality for around 700,000 customers across the region.

By enhancing the efficiency of South Staffordshire Water’s filtration systems, the project demonstrates how collaboration, digital innovation and modern engineering methods are redefining the way the industry operates.

Its success has led to further commissions from the client. An additional £1.3 million PAC dosing works at the Hampton Loade WTW site and contracts in Cambridge underline the strength of the partnership and continued confidence in Kirsty and her team’s delivery capability.

Now overseeing all RSE civil engineering works across treatment solutions, Kirsty is passionate about ensuring her expertise gained throughout her career are passed on to others and is determined to see more women become part of the sector’s future.

RSE Delivery Manager, Kirsty Ennion said:

Being part of the Hampton Loade project has been incredibly rewarding. Knowing that the innovation we have delivered will leave a lasting impact and seeing years of hard work come to fruition is something I’m immensely proud of.

Kirsty continued: “There is a real satisfaction in overcoming the challenges along the way, delivering for our clients and building positive relationships that last.

I have learnt largely by doing and finding my own path throughout my career. What motivates me is seeing clients happy and working on projects that make a difference, but equally in my new role helping others develop and ensure valuable knowledge isn’t lost.

When I joined RSE 16 years ago, women were still significantly underrepresented in engineering. While I have seen encouraging progress, I am still something of an anomaly in delivery and I would love to see more women step into similar roles.

If you have the passion and drive, there is absolutely a place for women in the water industry – and it will become stronger because of it.”

Stephen Slessor, CEO at RSE, said:

Kirsty was selected for this project due to her resilience and top-level industry expertise, both of which have been instrumental to the success of the Hampton Loade WTW and beyond.

Stephen continued: “Her achievements are a strong example of the impact women are making across our industry and should serve as inspiration for others considering a career in engineering.

At RSE, we are committed to identifying and developing the next generation of talent. We are proud that each year more women are joining our business, particularly through our apprenticeship and graduate programmes, and we value the significant contribution they are making to drive innovation and delivery during a critical time for the water industry”.