SCOTTISH Water has completed the significant investment to improve the security of water supply to 11,000 customersin the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area.

The �250,000 project, to replace the ageing water mains infrastructure in the High Street, was completed recently. Water mains with a recent history of bursts were replaced by durable new plastic pipes, improving not only reliability, but also delivering the benefits of clearer, fresher drinking water.

Scottish Water's Regional Community Manager for Fife, Anne Marie Dewar was brought up in Cowdenbeath, and still lives in the town and she is delighted the investment project has been completed.

Said Anne Marie, "This is an important project which will help to deliver not only a supply of clearer, fresher drinking water to customers in the Cowdenbeath area, but also ensure that the supply is more robust, addressing a recent history of bursts.

"We have replaced the ageing cast iron water main running along the High Street with a new durable, plastic pipe, better suited to the rigours of modern usage and traffic conditions.

"Cowdenbeath is already benefiting from significant investment from Scottish Water, with millions of pounds being invested to improve the quality of drinking water supply and support the natural environment of Cowdenbeath and its neighbouring communities. Across the Kingdom we are listening to communities and delivering investment where they tell us they need it most." The project was carried out in very short spurts of activity, ensuring that any potential disruption to individual businesses was kept to an absolute minimum as work progressed up High Street. Project Manager Graham Imrie added, "From the off set of this project it was important that we kept disruption to an absolute minimum. Work was carried out in short bursts, with businesses given advanced warning to allow them to plan around any disruption.

"We also engaged with the local authority, emergency services and local business leaders in preparing this programme of work, carefully planning the project with local involvement at every stage." The project team moved step by step from Perth Road/Foulford Road junction towards the roundabout at Broad Street, replacing the existing main and reconnecting properties as they went.

Anne Marie, who monitored the progress of the project as part of her daily commute, concluded, "This is not only a busy, central artery, but the heart of the community.

"High Streets such as Cowdenbeath are becoming increasingly unique across Scotland and that is why we were so determined to keep disruption to a minimum and ensure that where possible it remained business as usual.

"We would like to take this opportunity to apologise for any short term inconvenience this project may have caused, but to remind customers that the investment will deliver the long term benefit of a more robust supply of clear, fresh drinking water to thousands of customers across the town." Businesses were concerned about the affect the work, which saw temporary traffic lights on High Street, might have on their trade, but while there were a few problems, for the most part the six month scheme went well.