Scottish Water has said it is to improve services to its customers in the Hillend area, near Lugton, East Ayrshire.

Three miles of water mains will be upgraded in the £500,000 investment which will improve the security of supply to properties in the area which have previously been affected by burst water mains.

The work is set to commence on 26 August with an expected completion date given of mid-November. The upgrade will also help provide customers with clearer, fresher drinking water to properties.

The improvements will involve replacing the existing cast-iron mains with new plastic pipes, which are less susceptible to bursts. It will involve working along the route of the B777 Lugton-Beith road. The new pipe will be installed beneath the carriageway and, where possible, below the verge.

A stretch of the B777, which links Lugton, Gateside and Beith, will be closed during the work, meaning no through-traffic will be allowed between Beith and Lugton. A diversion will be in operation via the A736 Lochlibo Road, the B706 Barmill Road and the A737 Beith by-pass.

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Local access will be maintained for residents and business premises and emergency services, while temporary traffic lights will be in operation to enable temporary access to side roads off the affected stretch of the B777, including the Gateside area.

Scottish Water's investment forms part of its ongoing project to improve services to about 7,200 people in parts of the area served by the Corsehouse Water Treatment Works (WTW), including Fenwick, Dunlop, Lugton and Stewarton.

This work, which is progressing, involves around a £1.1m investment in the upgrading of more than 28 miles of water mains to provide customers with clearer, fresher drinking water. It involves a mixture of flushing and cleaning of stretches of mains and the installation of new plastic lining in other stretches.

Project Manager Mandy Mair said: "The main part of the project is progressing well and the additional work, in the Hillend area, will address a particular problem which has resulted in a number of disruptions to normal water supply for customers in the area.

"The road traffic management on the B777 is required to enable us to carry out the work and was arranged after we liaised with the local authority's roads department. We will do everything possible to minimise any inconvenience to road-users."

Jane McKenzie, Scottish Water's Regional Community Manager for the area, added: "We would like to thank affected customers and road users in advance for their cooperation and patience during the main part of this project and the additional work in the Hillend area.

"We are sure people will appreciate that any short-term inconvenience will be far outweighed by the long-term benefits this investment is now delivering."

Contractors George Leslie will carry out the work on behalf of Scottish Water.

(JP/MH)