Scottish Water is set to begin a £6 million project in Midlothian designed to significantly improve local water quality and prevent sewer-related debris from entering the environment.

The initiative, part of the utility's Improving Urban Waters programme, focuses on upgrading infrastructure at Bilston Park. The work involves the construction of a new storm overflow chamber and a massive 750 cubic metre storm water attenuation tank—roughly a third of the size of an Olympic swimming pool.

A key feature of the new system is a powered screen designed to filter out debris larger than 6mm, such as wet wipes and other inappropriately flushed items, before they can reach the Bilston Burn. The new attenuation tank will act as a buffer during heavy rainfall, holding excess water to ensure the sewer network is not overwhelmed, thereby reducing the frequency of spills.

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Ethan Gillies Denning, Senior Project Manager at Scottish Water, said: "The existing infrastructure has been causing issues for some time. Working with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, we have committed to delivering a project that will make a significant, positive difference to the water environment and ensure water quality levels improve.

"The majority of the work will be carried out within the park itself so we are confident there shouldn't be too much disruption for the local community. We will work with all those affected to deliver the project as quickly and painlessly as possible and would like to thank them for their patience and understanding."

The project falls under the broader 'Draining the Rain, Enhancing the Environment' banner, which is supported by an additional £500 million investment package. Scottish Water and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) continue to work together to identify and upgrade high-priority storm overflows across the country to protect Scotland's rivers and beaches.