Through Murphy, United Utilities has brought in a 23-tonne SANY SY215E electric excavator to prepare the ground for a new building. Murphy is also constructing the facility, which will house technology to reduce phosphorus in treated wastewater before it is returned to the environment.

Once commissioned, the process will remove up to 85 per cent of phosphorus from the final effluent. The recovered phosphorus will be converted into pellets for use as a slow-release fertiliser in agriculture.

The excavator operates with zero emissions and significantly reduced noise levels. It is powered by a state-of-the-art Lithium Iron Phosphate (cobalt-free) CATL battery, providing a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional diesel machines.

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Designed for high performance with a smaller environmental footprint, the machine forms part of Murphy's growing electric plant fleet operating across the UK and Ireland.

With a battery life of up to eight hours and around one hour to recharge, a full day of productive operation can be achieved through overnight charging.

The excavator was trialled at Davyhulme alongside piling works to benchmark its performance against conventional diesel excavators.

Tony Elliott, UU's Regional Delivery Manager for Greater Manchester said: "This innovation is part of United Utilities ongoing commitment to minimising environmental impact across our projects. The electric excavator at Davyhulme will help advance fuel and operational efficiency across the scheme."

Richard Nash, Project Director at Murphy, said: "At Murphy we proactively seek out green energy solutions, so we were delighted to take part in this trial. It provided a fantastic opportunity to explore the excavator's capabilities, giving us valuable insights to confidently plan and expand the use of electric plant across our Davyhulme project in the years ahead."

The works at Davyhulme are being delivered through United Utilities' new Enterprise delivery model, which brings together seven design and construction partners, plus United Utilities, into one integrated team.