Major Project to Enhance the Environment in Murrayfield

Scottish Water has unveiled plans for a £1.7million project to help prevent rags, wet wipes and other sewer related debris from entering a picturesque Edinburgh watercourse.

The unscreened overflow running into the Water of Leith under Corstorphine Road at Ormidale Terrace will be upgraded to include new spill chambers and screens.

Work is due to get underway in June this year and will take approximately seven months to complete.

A drop in information event will be held at the Murrayfield Hotel, 18 Corstorphine Road on Thursday 8 May 2025 from 4pm until 7pm for people to find out more.

Scottish Water Senior Project Manager Ethan Gillies Denning said: “Overflows play a vital role in protecting our homes and businesses from flooding during periods of heavy rain.

“They are designed to prevent the sewer from backing up and are critical components when it comes to managing large volumes of rainwater.

“This project will ensure discharges – which only happen when the sewer reaches capacity – will be screened, helping to prevent wipes and sewer-related debris from entering the Water of Leith.

”This is a significant piece of work that will require a degree of disruption to deliver so I would urge people to come along to the information event or visit our website to keep up to date on what is involved.”

The project is part of Scottish Water's Improving Urban Waters programme, an additional £500million package of investment to improve the environment and make it more enjoyable for customers to explore their local area.

Working closely with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) Scottish Water has identified priority storm overflows for improvement or replacement for water quality or aesthetic – sewer related debris – reasons.

Under the banner ‘Draining the Rain, Enhancing the Environment’ the investment helps prevent sewage related debris such as wet wipes from entering the environment during periods of rainfall.