Kippford Waste Water Upgrades
Project Overview
We are developing a £multimillion upgrade to the Waste Water Treatment infrastructure in Kippford.
The aim of this investment is to help protect the environment in the Urr Estuary and improve the bathing waters at Rockcliffe which has previously been classified by SEPA as ‘Poor.’
At A Glance
- £multimillion investment
- Protect the environment
- Improve bathing water quality
Investing in Kippford
Multimillion pound upgrade
Why We Are Doing It
The existing Waste Water Treatment Works on Roughfirth, Kippford negatively impacts on the downstream bathing water at Rockcliffe.
The site only has primary treatment, meaning that it does not disinfect the waste water before it is discharged into the environment.
During the bathing water season we install temporary treatment equipment to disinfect the waste water. This has improved the bathing water classification at Rockcliffe from ‘Poor’ to ‘Good’ for the past few years but a permanent solution is required.
What We Are Doing
We have been considering options, consulting with stakeholders and customers, and assessing operational requirements against geological and geographic constraints for some time.
A proposal – which we outlined at a community event earlier this year – was due to be considered by Dumfries & Galloway Council’s planning committee at the end of August 2024.
However, given the strength of feeling locally about the project and also the need to deliver it at a cost that represents best value for our customers we have withdrawn the planning application while we revisit and reconsider further options.
We are committed to improving the water quality in the estuary and to meeting the future needs of the community.
While the temporary treatment equipment currently installed has been highly effective in improving water quality during the bathing season, it also demonstrates the importance of planning appropriately for the future.
Update August 2024
Our project team is exploring a range of options and as soon as we have more information on a revised proposal we will update this page with the details.
We would like to thank everyone in the community who has engaged in the process of developing this complex project so far, which we know has been over a number of years. We hope this will continue as we progress.
