Water plant plan approved

Water plant plan approved

Plans for a water plant were rejected last year

Plans for a new water filtration plant to treat Glasgow's drinking supply have been approved by councillors.

They voted by 20 to two in favour of Scottish Water's latest attempt to site a controversial water treatment plant serving north Glasgow, at Mugdock reservoir outside Milngavie.

After a review of the cryptosporidium alert in August, NHS Greater Glasgow said the city would remain vulnerable until a new water filtration plant has been built.

Plans for a works at Mugdock were rejected last year but new proposals for a site at Milngavie were put before East Dunbartonshire Council.

Councillors said the original plan did not meet environmental conditions and it also failed to take account of the reservoir's importance as a tourist attraction.

Water supply

Scottish Water said it wanted to bring Glasgow's antiquated water supply up to European standard by the end of 2005.

It has since made "substantial progress" in cutting the risk of parasite contamination through a series of improvements.

Cryptosporidiosis causes diarrhoea and sickness, which can have a severe affect on vulnerable groups including the very young and elderly.

The cryptosporidium incident was the largest to affect a UK water supply in 10 years, with tens of thousands of people in north Glasgow and outlying areas advised to boil water.

The sheer size and scale of this development was bound to cause controversy wherever it was located

Geoff Aitkenhead
Scottish Water

The parasite was found in water from the Mugdock Reservoir, which receives water from Loch Katrine.

Tests on one of the aqueducts at Loch Katrine detected a high level of cryptosporidium but the source of the contamination has never been established.

Scottish Water's Geoff Aitkenhead said its latest proposal was about protecting the health of 750,000 people in Glasgow.

'Obviously disappointed'

He said: "We are delighted that Scottish Water's second application has been given the go ahead by councillors in East Dunbartonshire.

"I would like to acknowledge the hard work and professionalism shown by East Dunbartonshire Council officers in considering such a complex and weighty application which attracted an enormous amount of comment.

"The sheer size and scale of this development was bound to cause controversy wherever it was located, but we believe the site chosen by Scottish Water was the right site."

Artist's impression of water plant

Laurie Russell, Friends of Milngavie Reservoir, said the group opposed the site and hoped ministers would hold an inquiry.

"We are obviously disappointed at the decision, but the scheme still has to go to Scottish ministers for approval because it contravenes the existing plan for the area," he said.

"We hope because of its controversial position, a public inquiry will be held to give the proposals a proper and balanced airing."

If ratified by ministers, work could start on the plant within six weeks.