Caithness CWS - Front Page Bulletins - Water - Progress New Mains February 2002

Contractors working on a new £2.45million drinking water main from Stemster to Reiss in Caithness have laid more than a third of the pipework already. Work started at the end of October last year on the North of Scotland Water Authority (NoSWA) scheme to provide a new 27 kilometres water main between Stemster Reservoir (5 kilometres north west of Gillock), along the A882 as far as Haster, and north to Reiss.

Squads of workers have started in different locations along the route and have already put in place about ten kilometres of pipework, expecting to complete the project in late summer this year. They have been helped by the relatively good winter weather.

Progress At Haster

The pipes will replace old mains laid in 1956 with Dingwall based R J McLeod Ltd working on the scheme. NoSWA's Project Manager, Neil Thompson, said the scheme will improve water pressure for customers in north-east Caithness, and will mean an alternative route of supply to call on if a section of pipe has to be shut down for any reason, such as a burst pipe. He added: "The work will also let us replace local water distribution mains, that are in poor condition, along the route of the new pipe. This will cause some disruption to supplies when the transfer is made between old and new pipework later this year. Obviously we will let customers know about this nearer the time.

"We have also been speaking to local fishermen because the new pipeline crosses the Wick River twice. We want to make sure that we don't disturb spawning fish." Mr Thompson explained that NoSWA also had to take into consideration archaeological sites along the route, avoiding two brochs ? Iron Age circular stone towers.

Pipes At Watten

The work is part of NoSWA's £180million Water Quality Improvements Programme. NoSWA is investing more than £400million over a six-year period in schemes to provide safe, clean drinking water throughout its area.

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