Work on the third phase of a £16 million project to upgrade a strategic rising sewer main carrying waste water from Renfrew for treatment in Glasgow is getting underway.

Scottish Water took the decision to accelerate the design and delivery of the major infrastructure project following multiple bursts over recent years.

Nearly a mile of pipe has already been relined from North Lodge pumping station and along King’s Inch Road in Renfrew since work began in February 2024. Relining is a specialised technique which enables renewal of the existing sewer pipe with a new inner wall - pressurised water is used to feed the lining through the pipe.

Work has now begun to build a temporary overland pipeline to allow the underground pipe running between Crofton Way and Laymoor Avenue to be upgraded. Once the temporary pipeline has been installed between Crofton Way and Laymoor Avenue, it will carry the pressurised waste water flows while the new liner is fed into the underground pipe through access pits.

Scottish Water Alliance Manager Robert Archer said:

“Rising main failures are unpredictable and disruptive, and have a significant impact on the community, the local economy and the local environment.

“We recognised the poor condition of the pipe had to be addressed as a matter of urgency and we took the step to accelerate delivery of this major project in a matter of months.

“This required a huge amount of co-operation and co-ordination between a range of agencies, including the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), other utilities and of course the local authority who grant permissions for road closures and traffic management.

“The work itself has been challenging, particularly with poor ground conditions, but once completed the upgrade will ensure the pipe is fit for the future.”

Scottish Water had originally planned to complete this latest phase of the project by Christmas – however, completion is now expected in early spring 2026.