Scotland’s biggest sewer “superstructure” has become operational with the opening of Shieldhall tunnel in Glasgow – Scottish Water’s flagship project as part of its investment in Glasgow’s wastewater infrastructure.
The £100 million tunnel stretches 3.1 miles from Craigton to Queen’s Park via Bellahouston and Pollok parks and flows have started to run through it from across the south-side of the city.
Scottish Water hopes the new sewer will improve water quality in the River Clyde and tackle flooding.
Scotland’s environment secretary, Roseanna Cunningham (pictured below) described the engineering feat as “extraordinary”.
She said it builds on the legacy of the country’s engineering and water pioneers and would benefit communities for “centuries to come”.
Cunningham visited the Scottish Water control room, which manages and monitors the country’s network of pipes and sewers around the clock.
“The strategic importance of the Shieldhall tunnel as part of the ongoing investment across Glasgow by Scottish Water cannot be understated,” she said.
“It’s a fantastic example of the capital investment programme delivering real long-term benefits for communities to reduce flooding, help deal with the impact of climate change and improve the environment.”
She added: “It represents the latest chapter in our collective aim to provide safe and sustainable ways of managing waste in our biggest city. It is a significant part of the overall investment in Greater Glasgow which is essential to economic prosperity regionally and nationally. Scottish Water is investing £3.5 billion throughout the country to deliver infrastructure which is fit for communities now and for decades to come.”
The project involved 100 workers from around the world and took two years to complete. The tunnel boring machine used for the project weighs 1,000 tonnes and is longer than 14 buses.
The tunnel will alleviate pressure on the existing wastewater network with 90,000 cubic metres of extra storm water storage.
Scottish Water said the tunnel will “substantially reduce” the amount and frequency of wastewater discharged from a number of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and enable more than 90 per cent of what was discharged at these CSOs to be treated at Shieldhall wastewater treatment works before being discharged there.
Douglas Millican, Scottish Water’s chief executive, said: “The city’s wastewater infrastructure required major improvements to help transform it into a modern, integrated and sustainable system which will improve the environment and biodiversity on the River Clyde and help tackle flooding.
“As the Greater Glasgow area continues to develop, we are modernising our wastewater infrastructure to support the needs of both existing and future customers.
“The completion of the Shieldhall tunnel is a key part of that network modernisation.”