Scottish Water embarks on £15m environmental investment

Scottish Water’s multi-million pound investment project in Glasgow’s West End to help improve the environment and water quality in the River Kelvin is now underway.

The project is being delivered by the water company’s alliance partner Amey Black and Veatch (aBV) and involves the installation of new wastewater infrastructure, including underground combined sewer overflow chambers and upgraded pipework.

Preparatory work for the £15 million project which will span 11 sites along the Kelvin Walkway from the bandstand in Kelvingrove Park to the Botanic Gardens begins today (19 February).

Scottish Water said a “small number of trees” will be removed after “careful consideration” to allow access for the construction of the new infrastructure. Alternatives will be replanted in conjunction with the local council.

The new infrastructure will help prevent items which are wrongly flushed down the toilet from overflowing into the River Kelvin during severe storm events and reduce the frequency and volume of wastewater spillages in storm conditions.

Ruaridh MacGregor, Scottish Water’s corporate affairs manager, said: “All of this preparatory work is vital for the success of this project, which will ultimately improve a really important environmental and recreational space in the heart of the West End.

“We know that Kelvingrove Park and the Kelvin Walkway are very popular places for people to spend their free time and we want to reassure everyone that we’ll do all we can to keep any disruption to a minimum.”

An archaeological dig, which is expected to begin in mid-March, will also be carried out as part of the preparatory works.

The first phase of construction will commence in late February at the bandstand with most of the construction phase commencing in early summer 2019.

Work on the entire project is expected to be completed by the end of summer 2020.