The £46 million project from Northumbrian Water will upgrade the water treatment works in Horsley.
The contract has been awarded to Doosan Interserve, which will carry out a two-and-a-half-year programme of work at the site.
Horsley water treatment works was originally built in the 1970s and is nearing the end of its design life.
The facility treats water from the River Tyne and Ovingham and the Whittle Dene complex of reservoirs and can treat up to 150 million litres each day.
The treated water, alongside that from the works at Whittle Dene, supplies the drinking water for Tyneside.
The work is expected to get underway this month, and will involve building new treatment facilities alongside the current plant.
The new design for the water treatment works will re-use some of the existing structures with the remainder scheduled for demolition once the new facility is completely operational.
The current plant will continue to operate until the work is complete and water supply will not be affected while the work is carried out.
Northumbria Water won outline planning permission for the works from Northumberland County Council last year.
The application was also endorsed by the Secretary of State for the Environment, as it involved development on green belt land.
Northumbrian Water has issued assurances that site traffic will use the Styford roundabout on the A69 rather than travelling through Horsley. And much of the excavated spoil is earmarked for re-use on site rather than removal via heavy vehicles.
Head of water supply at Northumbrian Water Noel Cooper said: “We are committed to providing our customers with an unrivalled customer experience.
“We know how much our customers rely on their tap water so ensuring it is of excellent quality is a top priority. This work will not only ensure that the Horsley water treatment works continues to meet ever increasing water quality standards, it will also improve the site’s resilience.
“I would like to assure the local community that we will do our best to keep disruption to a minimum and we thank them for their patience whilst this essential work is carried out.”
The company carrying out the work is Doosan Interserve, a joint venture between construction firm Interserve and Birmingham-based process engineers Doosan Enpure.
Sean Brown, Doosan Interserve’s project manager for the scheme, said: “Both Interserve and Doosan Enpure have an established track record of delivering major utilities projects and we’re excited to be working together on this project for Northumbrian Water which will give the residents of Tyneside a world-class facility that will be used for years to come.
“Where possible, we will use local resources, while supporting the local economy and employment in the region.”
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