CONSTRUCTION has started on £24million of water works in North Ayrshire.

Scottish Water say 85,000 people will benefit from improved water supply security and a reduction in the risk of burst mains once the project is completed.

A 7.3 mile-long water main south of Drybridge to the west of Eglinton Park is being created – benefiting residents in Irvine, Kilwinning, Stevenston, Dreghorn, Drybridge and parts of Saltcoats.

The new main will be installed on mainly rural land from just south of Drybridge near Olympic Business Park beside the B730 to near the old Volvo vehicle plant adjacent to the A78.

It will follow a route that goes under the River Irvine and the A71, runs between Springside and Dreghorn, to the east of Bourtreehill, under the Annick Water, skirts past the north and east of Perceton and Girdle Toll, and goes through the south of Eglinton Country Park.

Scottish Water insist the new main will replace an existing main whose route goes through more built-up areas, including Bourtreehill, Broomlands and Dreghorn.

A new plastic main will replace the existing concrete main and the use of more robust materials will make the new main less susceptible to bursts.

The water board say the project, which is expected to be completed in about a year, is a part of Scottish Water’s major investment in Ayrshire announced last year.

Jane McKenzie, Scottish Water’s regional communities team manager, said: “Scottish Water is always striving to improve the security of supply of clearer, fresher drinking water that we provide to customers across the length and breadth of Scotland.

“This investment in the Irvine area will significantly improve the resilience of our network and reduce the potential for burst water mains and the disruption to customers they can cause.

“That is great news for all customers and businesses in the area and we know that they will appreciate that any short-term inconvenience caused by this investment work will be far out-weighed by the long-term benefits.”

Scottish Water insist that installing the new water main will be a significant piece of construction and will do everything possible to minimise disruption to customers, landowners, the environment and road users.

They insist that they will liaise closely with Eglinton Park to ensure that plant recovery time is minimised and paths and access routes are reinstated quickly.

Cameron Sharp, Country Parks Manager with North Ayrshire Council, said: “Scottish Water’s ecologists are working with our staff to ensure that conservation, habitat monitoring and resource protection at Eglinton Country Park are core to the work Scottish Water is carrying out in the park.

“Scottish Water is working closely with our staff on matters such as tree planting, soil replacement to ensure plant recovery.

“We appreciate it is difficult for Scottish Water to carry out this sort of investment without some disruption.

“But we’re happy to be liaising closely with them to ensure this is minimised and we are confident that, with Scottish Water’s help, the affected parts of the park will recover quickly and, in some cases, actually benefit.”