Scottish Water has said the next phase of a £5.3m scheme to improve drinking water in Aberdeen is to commence shortly.

The initiative will provide around 20,000 homes in Aberdeen with improved drinking water quality.

As part of the extensive project, around 100 miles of water pipes across the southside of Aberdeen, and the outlying areas, are being upgraded. Work started in February, and is expected to continue into next year.

The work is also part of Scotland's largest water mains renewal project to date and when completed in April 2015, the scheme will have covered 4,300km. The project involves the internal relining and cleaning of pipes to improve the quality of water flowing through pipes to customers' taps.

With the first phase of the project, based in the Torry area, now completed, work is set to begin in the next two zones. This will start in early September and is expected to last around two months.

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Work in the Norfolk Road area will being from 2 September, while work in the Queen's Cross area will commence from 9 September.

Scottish Water has said work will start in a number of other areas later in the year and continue into 2014.

Project Manager John Scott said: "Scottish Water is delighted to be making good progress with this significant investment to breathe new life into our network of pipes in the south of Aberdeen. Work in the Torry area was completed earlier this year and we are now ready to press ahead with the remainder of the project.

"Re-lining and cleaning is a cost efficient way of refurbishing pipes which still have a long life in them. It ensures they can continue serving customers well into the future, helping us to move the clearest, freshest drinking water from our treatment works to customer homes and businesses.

"Drinking water quality in Scotland is at its highest ever level and we want to maintain high standards for our customers, building on our significant investment in the last decade to enhance the water infrastructure of Scotland."

The project builds on significant investment in the area over recent years, such as almost £30m to upgrade Mannofield and Invercannie water treatment works and improvements to the 19th century aqueducts connecting these works.

Some of the work will involve excavations to access water mains and some local traffic management will be put in place as required. Scottish Water has said it will keep traffic disruption to a minimum. In the event of any localised disruption while the work takes place, Scottish Water will write to customers affected in advance.

The work is being delivered in partnership with Morrison Construction.

(JP/MH)