Scottish Water embarks on £1.2m waste management project

The project is part of a wider £250 million, five-year initiative to invest in waste water management across Greater Glasgow which was announced in February 2013, with the aim of alleviating sewer flooding and dealing with the effects of increased rainfall from climate change.

First minister Nicola Sturgeon, who was then cabinet secretary for infrastructure, investment and cities, said at the time: “Investment such as this ensures that Scottish Water can continue to deliver excellent services to the people of Scotland. By 2015, Scottish Water will provide one of the best value for money water and sewerage packages in the UK to the continuing benefit of households and businesses throughout Scotland.”

The White Cart Water waste management project, set to be completed by the end of August, will see the construction of a new Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) with a screen and pipework to relieve the sewer system during storms.

The CSO is designed to spill to watercourses in heavy weather to prevent flooding, and is allowed to do so under Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) regulations.

A number of otters residing in the White Cart Water have been relocated to allow the project to go ahead.

Mark Maclaren, Scottish Water’s regional communities team manager, said: “We will be doing everything possible to minimise any inconvenience to local residents, businesses and road users, as we did for the otters, and we hope our customers appreciate that any short-term inconvenience will be far outweighed by the long-term benefits this investment will deliver.”