Leading public services provider Amey has been contracted by Scottish Water to deliver a major £17 million project in Paisley designed to prevent flooding, enhance water quality and safeguard the local environment.

Scottish Water first announced a £250m investment package for the wider Glasgow area in 2013. Three years in to its five-year plan it has announced a new £17m, mile-long sewer, in addition to two new combined sewer overflows for Renfrewshire's largest town, which is home to over 75,000 people.

Paisley's wastewater infrastructure is set to receive significant improvements over the next two years, beginning with the installation of a 1.5m diameter interceptor sewer. This will be installed using a microtunnel boring machine across the Paisley area.

When the project is completed it is anticipated that the sewer and overflows will help to substantially reduce the frequency of spills from the sewer network into the Espedair Burn and White Cart Water during storm conditions. The works will also contribute to improvements in the local water supply, benefitting both local households and local wildlife.

 Commenting on the news, Amey's Managing Director for Utilities, Kevin Fowlie, said:

"We are excited to be delivering this vital infrastructure for the Paisley community. This landmark project marks the beginning of our involvement in the SR15 Managed Delivery Framework, which will see us deliver £100m of projects for Scottish Water over the next five years.

 "This project harnesses the many skills that Amey can offer, through design, tunnelling, civil engineering and mechanical and electrical works. It also shows our commitment to creating better places for local communities to live, work and travel , by way of a combination of technical expertise and careful  consideration of the local community and its wildlife.”

Joanna Peebles, Scottish Water’s regional communities team manager, said the project would significantly improve the environment on the White Cart and the Espedair Burn and, in turn, the River Clyde.

The Greater Glasgow area investment follows years of collaboration and studies by the Metropolitan Glasgow Strategic Drainage Partnership (MGSDP), whose partners include Scottish Water, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Glasgow City Council, Renfrewshire Council and Scottish Canals.