Scottish Water Completes £34.5m Environmental Upgrade Work

Scottish Water has completed £34.5million in upgrade works to three waste water sites in Dumfries and Castle Douglas, and is shortly starting work on the final stage of extensive improvements in Dalbeattie.

The investment will protect the natural environment in the River Nith and River Dee and provide extra capacity for new properties and businesses to connect to the wastewater network.

Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire and Jim Henderson, Director of the Nith District Salmon Fishery Board attended a briefing session from Simon Hunter, the Waste Water Asset Planner for Scottish Water.

Elaine Murray said: “Scottish Water have made a significant investment in the sewage works serving my constituents in Dumfries to tackle odour, pollution and planning constraint concerns. I am delighted that the investment is complete and can look forward to the benefits to local residents and the local economy.”

Jim Henderson said: “Water quality is fundamental to sustaining healthy stocks of fish in all our rivers. Nith District Salmon Fishery Board welcomes the improvements to the waste water treatment works which discharge into the Nith catchment. These improvements compliment the many fisheries management initiatives that the Board are currently working on to ensure the protection of stocks of salmon and sea trout which are important to the rural economy of Dumfriesshire.”

Simon Hunter said: “As popular fishing destinations, the Nith and the Dee play an important part for tourists and locals while supporting the local economy. This makes the provision of reliable and thorough waste water treatment on these rivers a crucial priority for our local waste water team at Scottish Water.

“We also have an important part to play in enabling communities in Dumfries and Galloway to grow and thrive, so the increased capacity at these facilities is key to driving the local economy by attracting developers and businesses to the area.”