Community Comes Together for Successful Milngavie Reservoir Event

“Milngavie Reservoir is a special place – not only as a source of water but as a green space where people can connect with nature and their community. The site attracts around 160,000 visitors every year, and our role as Rangers is to help people enjoy it safely and responsibly.”

Hannah Mills
Scottish Water and East Dunbartonshire Partnership Countryside Ranger

Scottish Water has celebrated the success of a family-friendly community event at Milngavie Reservoir, where local residents of all ages came together to enjoy nature, heritage, and hands-on activities.

The event, hosted in partnership with Friends of Milngavie Reservoir and the Milngavie Heritage Group, gave visitors the chance to engage with Scottish Water’s Ranger and Warden Teams, learn about the area’s unique wildlife, and discover more about the reservoir’s history and future.

The Craigmaddie and Mugdock reservoirs in Milngavie store drinking water for around 700,000 customers in Greater Glasgow. As well as being a vital source of water, the site is also an important local beauty spot and recreational facility, valued by the community for its historical, environmental and social significance.

Hannah Mills, Scottish Water Ranger, said: “Milngavie Reservoir is a special place – not only as a source of water but as a green space where people can connect with nature and their community. The site attracts around 160,000 visitors every year, and our role as Rangers is to help people enjoy it safely and responsibly.

“We run a regular programme of events including wellbeing walks, volunteer activities, and family-friendly sessions. Today’s event was a great example, with children discovering the hidden world of moths and building bird boxes which will now be installed around the site to help nature flourish. We are grateful for the community’s support and want to encourage everyone to get involved in caring for this unique environment.”

Friends of Milngavie Reservoir, who have been working with Scottish Water for a number of years to improve the reservoir and its surroundings, also supported the day by engaging with visitors, while the Milngavie Heritage Group brought local history to life with displays and stories.

Eddy Yacoubian, Chair of Friends of Milngavie Reservoir, said: “Partnership working is at the heart of what makes events like this such a success. By joining forces with Scottish Water and local heritage partners, we can both celebrate the history of Milngavie Reservoir and inspire people to help protect it for the future.

“Over the last couple of years we’ve seen real improvements here – from the introduction of Rangers and Wardens, to new paths, bins, a top up tap, a defibrillator and more. These steps make a real difference for visitors and show the value of working together for the benefit of the site and community.”

The publicly owned utility also confirmed that a consultant has been appointed to lead a traffic management consultation for the site. This represents another positive step in ensuring Milngavie Reservoir remains safe and accessible for everyone, with measures being investigated to improve how people travel to and move around the site.