A £6.5million Scottish Water project to improve the quality and resilience of supply for thousands of customers in the Doon Valley has been completed.

A new treated water storage tank near Patna, the size of an Olympic swimming pool, is now supplying 6,500 customers after undergoing final testing.

Covering 700 square metres, the seven metre deep, three megalitre concrete structure replaces an old tank built in the 1930s.

The project has been delivered by the public utility company’s delivery partner ESD Scotland.

Gary Scott, ESD project manager, said: “This was an extremely challenging project to deliver, particularly given the location and how close we were to the existing tank.

The new tank near Patna cost £6.5 million.The new tank near Patna cost £6.5 million. (Image: Scottish Water)

“The weather was also a factor, with significant rainfall impacting the drainage of the heavy clay soil which we managed to overcome.

“I would like to thank everyone who worked on the project for their professionalism and perseverance in delivering a quality asset that will benefit the community for many years to come.

Several innovative approaches and techniques were deployed to deliver the new storage tank, including the prefabrication of reinforcement for the tank’s wall on site.

A rechargeable remote tower crane was also used, removing the need for working at height which had clear safety benefits during construction but also helped to cut carbon emissions.

Landscaping works and new perimeter fencing are now being completed.

Work on the new tank was carried out by ESD Scotland.Work on the new tank was carried out by ESD Scotland. (Image: Scottish Water)

It's part of an investment of around a billion pounds a year by Scottish Water to repair, renew and replace vital assets.

ESD Scotland is a joint venture between three companies - Binnies, Galliford Try and MWH Treatment - working with Scottish Water to deliver high quality clean and waste water assets for communities across Scotland.