Glenfarg Treatment Works Investment

Project Overview

Scottish Water are preparing to invest in the future of Glenfarg Water Treatment Works. The planned project at the Water Treatment Works (WTW) at East Blair in 2024, is needed to secure a high quality and resilient water supply for around 180,000 customers that the WTW serves across Kinross-shire and Fife. The existing WTW was built in 1984 and is now in need of significant investment so that it can continue to serve the area for decades to come.

The above video shows an overview of the project and our plans for the area. 

What will the work involve?

The proposed investment includes several elements which work together to improve the way drinking water is produced; and to provide greater security of supply for all of the communities that the site serves. Some of the proposed work would take place within and around the existing WTW buildings, including:

• Upgrade and replacement of key equipment and filters;
• A new filtered water pumping station.

The redevelopment of the historic filter beds near to the dam would include: 

• A new Chlorine Contact Pipeline to improve the final crucial stage in the production of drinking water; 
• 4 new Clear Water Tanks to store drinking water before it leaves the site. The stored water could continue to supply all the communities that the site serves if the production of drinking water was interrupted. The tanks also mean that stable production of drinking water can continue over the course of daily variation in demand from customers.

A smaller piece of work is also due to be delivered soon to improve the air curtain within the reservoir, which helps to maintain the quality of the ‘raw’ water entering the WTW during summer conditions

Why is additional water storage capacity needed at Glenfarg?

The WTW at Glenfarg plays a critical role in supplying a complex water network which spans Kinross-shire and Fife. Within the network, there are 39 local storage tanks, referred to as ‘Service Reservoirs’. These local tanks are typically located on high ground close to the communities that they serve - and their size varies to meet local needs. seeking to reflect that there is resilience built into the wider water network, both via local storage and interconnections/backfeeds.

A Clear Water Tank (CWT) is the source of drinking water from which all of the local tanks, both large and small, are supplied. This has to be located and sized so that it can maintain supply to all of the communities that the site serves if the normal production of drinking water is interrupted - for example due to a major technical fault or a pollution event.

Latest Update

Our planning application recieved approval at Perth & Kinross Council's Planning and Placemaking Committee on Wednesday 13 March. Should you wish to watch this committee back, you can do so at the council's YouTube channel. Perth & Kinross Council - YouTube

As part of the planning conditions, we will be continuing to update our traffic management plan, sharing any updates with the community council and councillors for feedback. We will then ensure to share these plans with the wider community ahead of the project commencing.

With planning now confirmed we are proposing to begin our ecology work this summer with the upgrades to the access road following on from them in October and running to the end of the year. The main body of the bulk construction will begin in 2025 with completion scheduled for March 2028. At the moment these dates are subject to possible change however this is what we are working towards at the moment.

Community Engagement

One key aspect of the planning process, was engaging with the community to gather their feedback on the project. We were able to do this on 16th November 2022, with representatives from Scottish Water and Efficient Service Delivery (ESD), who are the alliance partner delivering this project on Scottish Water’s behalf, attending Glenfarg Village Hall to discuss the planned project further with the community.

This event proved to be extremely valuable with over 60 customers attending to find out more about the project and give helpful feedback.

With Scottish Water and ESD General Managers, Project Managers, and Site Engineers in attendance, the event was a great chance for the community to ask questions and give input on the areas of the project which they felt most important.

You can view our information boards from this information event as well as all newsletters which have been issued over the years to customers who requested to be added to the distribution list. We also have a road safety assessment and our planning representation letter, which provide you with further information on the traffic management aspects of this project. 

We also have an ongoing Community Liaison Group where councillors and community councillors are invited to Glenfarg WTW on a regular basis for an open discussion on the latest project developments.