A review of a project which was designed to improve flood prevention in the Bishopbriggs area near Glasgow is to be carried out for Scottish Water.

The review by a consulting and business services group will assess the design and construction of a scheme which involved the upsizing of the sewers in the Angus Avenue and Woodfield Avenue area of Bishopbriggs in 2003 and in nearby Mailing Avenue two years later.

The project, which followed serious flooding in the area and many other parts of the Glasgow area in 2002, was designed to help the sewer network cope with heavy rainfall.

Scottish Water recently carried out extensive investigative work, including the use of CCTV cameras and monitoring of flows in the sewers, following flooding in the area this July which included internal flooding in 13 properties. The area was also flooded in July of last year.


Following the CCTV work after the most recent flooding we found and cleared a significant blockage in the sewers near Woodfield Avenue, which had been caused by tree root ingress.

Our investigations established that the blockage would have contributed to the sewer surcharging and flooding but we were unable to confirm if it would have been the cause or the main factor. The blockage was the only issue of concern that we found.

The project to upsize the sewers, which cost about £2.9m, was designed in accordance with national sewerage design criteria to improve the network following the flooding in 2002.

The project was designed by Scottish Water and constructed by Scottish Water Solutions, the joint venture partnership of utility companies and contractors set up by Scottish Water to help transform the country's water and waste water infrastructure.

The consultants, who provide design, managerial and engineering services for government agencies, local authorities, government-regulated industries and the private sector, will assess the hydraulic design of the scheme. They will then report their conclusions to Scottish Water.

Mr Jim Hassan, Scottish Water's regional manager, said: "We are carrying out this investigative work to establish the reason for the flooding in the Angus Avenue, Woodfield Avenue and Mailing Avenue area of Bishopbriggs."

Scottish Water and East Dunbartonshire Council met recently to discuss the issue and are continuing to liaise. The council is carrying out its own complementary investigations into the cause of flooding from the culverted water course system in the area.

(GK/JM)