Orkney water improvements gather pace
Scottish Water today revealed a £15million programme of improvements throughout the islands providing more reliable supplies of clearer, fresher drinking water, protecting the environment and enabling development as part of its 2010 Vision for Orkney.
Most of the improvements identified as priorities at the start of the programme in 2006 are now underway. A lot of careful planning and design work has taken place but now the serious construction and technical modifications are happening. Since April 2007 over £6million has been invested in Orkney with a further £5.6million in the pipeline and due to be delivered by April 2009. The total investment between 2006 and 2010 is expected to be £15million.
Sandy McConnachie, Scottish Water’s team manager for Orkney, said: “Whether new pipes or improvements at treatment works, there’s no doubt that we’re investing heavily in Orkney right now. Our vision is that by 2010 customers around the county will have more reliable supplies of clearer, fresher drinking water and the environment will be protected. We’re also working closely with the council and developers to ensure that our investment helps growth. Meantime our local operations staff continue to provide a great 24/7 service. And all the while our average household charge remains less than £1 a day.”
Major projects recently completed include:
- Boardhouse £106,000 drinking water upgrade to maintain high standards – this treatment works, along with Kirbister, supplies the whole of the Orkney mainland
- Stromness £78,000 sewer improvements
- Westray £53,000 drinking water upgrade
Major projects underway and due to be complete this year include:
- Finstown £2.9million waste water upgrade
- Kettletoft (Sanday) £800,000 first time waste water scheme to install sewer system and treatment works to end private discharges into local shellfish waters
- Kirbister £280,000 drinking water upgrade
- Kirkwall (Junction Road) £3.8million water main and sewer upgrade
- Orkney-wide £373,000 establishment of District Metered Areas to monitor flows within the network of water mains, improving the ability to pinpoint leaks
- Stromness £220,000 waste water treatment works maintenance
- Weyland Bay £80,000 waste water pumping station improvements
Major projects due to start in the coming months include:
- Ayre Road (Kirkwall) £130,000 waste water pumping station improvements
- Boardhouse £180,000 improvements to pump used to take water from Loch of Boardhouse to be treated for drinking water
- Evie £400,000 water mains renewal to reduce supply interruptions and improve drinking water quality
- Kirbister £180,000 flood protection measures at water treatment works
- North Ronaldsay £668,000 drinking water upgrade for 80 people
- Orams Fancy (Stronsay) £245,000 drinking water storage tank refurbishment
- Shapinsay £200,000 drinking water boreholes maintenance
