Overview of Glencorse Pipelines
New pipelines are required to carry the clearer, fresher water into the existing distribution network in Edinburgh. The pipeline route takes into account important issues such as:
- Minimising disruption to road users and pedestrians by using agricultural land where possible.
- Avoiding the need for expensive pumping by choosing a route that allows the water to flow by gravity.
A twin pipeline will go from the Glencorse Water Treatment Works through agricultural land to Damhead. At Damhead, one leg of the pipeline will connect into existing pipework to take the water on to Fairmilehead area. To connect the other pipeline into the network at Alnwickhill, we need to take the pipe across the City Bypass. To avoid disrupting this major road we will tunnel the pipe under the Bypass.
There are also two smaller pipes which take sludge (a bi-product of the water treatment process) away from the Glencorse site.
Click here to see the route of the pipeline and the dates we will be working in each area (pdf).
Alnwickhill Pipeline Update – 21st March 2011
Our planned pipe laying activities in the Alnwickhill area were affected by the adverse weather conditions experienced over Christmas and New Year.
Following the delayed start due to the weather, the crossing of Alnwickhill Road has been completed and pipe-laying continues in Liberton Park, adjacent to Alnwickhill Water Treatment Works. To ensure the continued health and safety of the public, pedestrian access into the park from Alnwickhill Road will be restricted until completion of pipeline testing and reinstatement works have taken place in mid May 2011. In the interim, the public should continue to use the two alternative access points to the Park from Liberton Gardens. Apologies for the inconvenience experienced during these necessary construction activities.
Looking ahead to Spring/Summer 2011, we plan to be completing pipe-laying in the Mortonhall area between now and the end of May. Re-instatement work will then take place in these fields throughout the summer and into autumn 2011.
Hat Trick of Awards from RoSPA – 16th March 2011
The Glencorse project has just received a third consecutive Gold Award from the Royal Society for Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). These prestigious awards, which are presented annually, acknowledge the dedication of Scottish Water and construction partner Black & Veatch to having a safe working environment.
Pipeline Activities in Frogston Road West – 2nd March 2011
Beginning this week, pipeline work will be taking place on Frogston Road West in the area close to the T-junction with Mounthooly Loan. The road will remain open with traffic management in place for the next 8 weeks. This is to allow us to carry out the next stage of connections on the pipes that we laid across the road last year.
Good progress is being made with the associated work on Buckstone Terrace and Biggar Road.
Pipeline Update – 7th February 2011
The pipeline crossing of Alnwickhill Road was successfully completed within the planned three weeks. The road and footpath were re-opened on Friday 4th February. Pipe-laying activities are now progressing between the Alnwickhill and Mortonhall area of Edinburgh.
As highlighted on the website before Christmas, we are also working on Biggar Road as part of a 12 month programme of works to connect the new Glencorse Water Treatment Works with the existing water distribution network at Fairmilehead. The work being carried out presently is to assess the condition and position of the existing pipework in Biggar Road. This is in preparation for extensive pipe re-lining work later in 2011. Please check back soon for further updates on this essential work.
Alnwickhill Road Crossing – 14th January 2011
This month we need to close a section of Alnwickhill Road in the area adjacent to the water treatment works. This will allow us to lay a section of pipe across the road. The work was planned for before Christmas but had to be rescheduled due to the bad weather.
The closure of Alnwickhill Road will commence Monday 17th January and continue for a period of 3 weeks. Diversions will be in place via Liberton Gardens and Liberton Drive.
In association with the above works we need to close the access to Liberton Park from Alnwickhill Road for a period of 6 weeks from the 17th of January. This is to ensure the safety of the public and our operatives during pipelaying activities. The two alternative access gates to the park from Liberton Gardens will not be affected by the works.
Update on Work at Fairmilehead - 28th October 2010
Starting in November 2010, survey work will be carried out in Buckstone Terrace and Biggar Road in the Fairmilehead area of Edinburgh. These preliminary investigations will provide important information regarding existing pipelines and other services to help us to prepare for the next phase of work planned for 2011.
A programme of work has been agreed with City of Edinburgh Council Roads Authority from November 2010 until November 2011. A series of excavations, surveys and pipe line improvements will be carried out between Scottish Water’s Fairmilehead Office and the City Bypass.
Traffic management will be in place from 8th November 2010 onwards. Lane closures are a necessary part of these operations and this means there will impact on the flow of traffic through the busy crossroads at Fairmilehead. The traffic management will be temporarily removed for the festive period.
Throughout 2011 we will be completing strategic changes to the existing water network in anticipation of commissioning the new Glencorse Water Treatment Works next summer; bringing fresher, clearer water to Edinburgh and parts of Midlothian. Check back to the website for further updates regarding this work in the New Year.
If you have any enquiries about this work please do not hesitate to get in touch on 0845 601 8855 or by emailing glencorse@scottishwater.co.uk
Update on work in Alnwickhill/Liberton – 5th October 2010
Having recently completed pipeline tunnelling under the City of Edinburgh Bypass, we will now concentrate on completing the pipeline from the Bypass to Alnwickhill Water Treatment Works.
Over the coming months, you can expect to see vehicles and operatives within the Alnwickhill/Liberton area undertaking pipe-laying activities. In November we need to close a section of Alnwickhill Road in the area adjacent to the water treatment works. This will allow us to lay a section of pipe across the road.
The closure of Alnwickhill Road will commence Monday 1st November and continue for a period of 3 weeks. Diversions will be in place via Liberton Gardens and Liberton Drive.
In association with the above works we need to close the access to Liberton Park from Alnwickhill for a period of 6 weeks from the 25th of October. This is to manage the Health & Safety of the public and operatives. The two existing accesses to the park off Liberton Gardens will remain unaffected by the works.
We will finish laying pipes in the Alnwickhill area in early 2011 and the final reinstatement of landscaping and grass seeding will be completed in Spring 2011.
Click here for a plan of the working area (pdf)
Information on Road Closure - 11th June 2010
An essential part of the Glencorse Project is the new water mains that will carry clear, fresh water from the treatment works to the existing water network. To allow this work to take place, a section of Pentland Road in Damhead will be closed to vehicles and pedestrians for three weeks commencing Monday 14th of June. Diversions will be signposted.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: The work planned to finish on 5th of July will be extended by approximately one week.
Apologies for any disruption.
Mobile Pipe Production In a world first, Scottish Water worked in partnership with KWH Pipe, to bring a mobile pipe production plant to Midlothian.
Instead of having the pipes produced elsewhere and transporting them to the site,the pipe production plant was set up adjacent to the pipeline working area. This unique approach meant that the pipes could be manufactured significantly longer; at lengths of up to 22 metres rather than the normal maximum that can be transported on a standard lorry of 13.5 metres.
Longer pipes mean fewer joints and a significant reduction in the construction period. The location of the plant also meant a reduction in lorry journeys to and from the site of up to 75 percent. This has help us to minimise the carbon footprint for the project.
Click here (pdf) to find out more about how the pipes were made.
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