Scottish Water will deliver the second stage of a multi‑million‑pound programme to upgrade a key rising sewer main serving the Ayrshire coast.

The pipe runs from a pumping station in Saltcoats to the treatment works in Stevenston and carries up to 700 litres of waste water per second under high pressure. The section to be renewed passes a golf course and runs beneath a caravan park.

The £5.5m phase will install twin temporary overland pipelines so the underground main can be relined, making it significantly less likely to burst.

Scottish Water Alliance Team Manager Andrew Hannah said: "Given the location – under a caravan park and close to the sea – it is vital that we carry out this upgrade to protect customers and the environment.

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"There have been a number of bursts on other sections of the rising main so this work will bring huge peace of mind."

"The relining technique effectively creates a brand-new pipe inside the existing one dramatically reducing the chances of it failing for many years.

"There will be some disruption over the coming months, but we will do all that we can to keep it to a minimum.

"We are extremely grateful to customers and stakeholders for the support they have given us so far and we look forward to working with them to deliver this vital project for Saltcoats and Stevenston."

The first £4m phase was completed in October 2023, when 12‑metre sections of temporary pipe were bolted together to carry flows from the pumping station while the underground sewer was relined.

The same approach will be used again, with a twin‑pipe overland route around the caravan park and access pits at strategic points to enable relining.

Andrew Hannah added: "Scottish Water is investing record amounts of customers' money into replacing and upgrading its infrastructure to meet the challenges of increasing demand and climate change."

The scheme is being delivered by Scottish Water's alliance partner, Caledonia Water Alliance. Work is scheduled to begin in January 2026 and is expected to take nine months.