Water Treatment Works Update - May 2009

The new treatment building is now taking shape. All of the excavation work and foundations are complete.

Work is concentrating on the reinforced concrete structures which form the different process compartments and storage tanks. These structures require steel fixers, joiners, scaffolders and concrete finishers working in several different working areas. The operatives use two large tower cranes and two additional crawler cranes to lift shutters and equipment from storage areas into the building. Concrete is poured most days on the site and typically this is placed by concrete pumps with extendable arms which can reach long distances into the construction area.

Safety is of paramount importance. Black and Veatch’s approach to safety ensures all workers and visitors to the site wear appropriate personal protective clothing including helmet, hi-visibility vest, safety boots, eye protection and gloves.

Mobile Pipe Production

More than 18km of new large diameter pipeline is required to connect the new treatment works to the Edinburgh and Midlothian water networks. Scottish Water is working in partnership with Finnish company, KWH Pipe, who are world leaders in large diameter plastic pipe manufacture.

Instead of having the pipes produced elsewhere and transporting them to the site, a mobile pipe production plant has been set up adjacent to the pipeline working area. This unique approach means that the pipes can 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 means a reduction in lorry journeys to and from the site of up to 75 percent. This will help us to minimise the carbon footprint for the project.

Scottish Water’s construction partners Black and Veatch will begin putting the first stretches of pipe into the ground in April 2009.

 

Pipeline Route Update - May 2009

Work on the pipeline route has commenced. Initially we will clear topsoil, fence off the working areas and construct haulage roads for appropriate access.

Lengths of pipe will be welded together by a specialist sub contractor local to installation. Then excavators will dig trenches and the pipes will be carefully lowered into place.

The pipes will be laid in different sections between the Glencorse site and the City of Edinburgh. Click here to see the programme showing the intended timing of the pipeline work (pdf) .