Scottish Water has announced an investment of over £4 million to upgrade an important sewer main serving Ayrshire.

The project in Saltcoats and Stevenston will see an overland temporary pipeline installed to allow the existing underground pipe to be re-lined making it significantly less likely to burst.

Carrying seven hundred litres of waste water every second, the 700mm sewer runs from a pumping station in Saltcoats, past a caravan park and golf course to the waste water treatment works in nearby Stevenston.

Georgina Reid, Scottish Water's corporate affairs manager for the west said: "There have been several bursts on this part of the sewer network throughout 2022.

"We have accelerated a significant investment package to upgrade just over a kilometre of existing pipe on the most burst-prone section of the rising main.

"The work will improve the resilience of the network, drastically reducing the likelihood of further bursts as well as protecting the environment and local bathing beaches."

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The temporary overland pipe is made up of 12-metre-long sections bolted together. Once completed, it will carry the flows from the pumping station while the underground sewer is re-lined.

Access pits will be excavated at strategic points along the route of the existing sewer to allow the lining material to be fed down and drawn through the centre of the pipe.

Georgina added: "This is a tried and tested method that avoids digging up the entire length of sewer and all the associated costs and disruption that would involve.

"We appreciate the overland pipe will be very visible, not least where it passes over the access road to the caravan park, but it is only temporary and will be quickly removed when the project is completed.

"The re-lining work on the existing pipe is expected to be completed by the end of summer. The temporary overland pipe will then be removed, and the area reinstated by the end of October 2023.

"Scottish Water is committed to delivering a world class service to its customers. We are investing millions of pounds in projects across the country to tackle the challenges of climate change, ageing infrastructure and increasing demand."

The project is being delivered by Scottish Water's alliance partner, Caledonia Water Alliance (CWA). Paul Milligan, communication manager with CWA, said: "We have been speaking to local businesses and customers for several months and everyone agrees this work will deliver a huge benefit to the local area and the local environment.

"We will continue to do all we can to work with the local community to help keep any disruption to a minimum. We would like to thank everyone involved for their patience and understanding."