Scottish Water chiefs apologise to islanders

HIGHLANDS and Island MSP Mike Mackenzie has questioned Scottish Water bosses over defective sewage works on Seil Island - prompting a public apology from chief executive Douglas Millican.

The SNP politician, who has been pursuing the issue on behalf of constituents, invited chairwoman, Lady Susan Rice and Mr Millican to visit North Argyll to see for themselves the works, which he described as ‘defective both aesthetically and operationally’.

The questioning took place during the meeting of the Scottish Parliament’s Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee on December 16, of which Mr Mackenzie is a member.

Mr Mackenzie said: ‘The execution of the work which I, my neighbours and the community there experi- enced, was shambolic. Many of the drainage pipes had to be re-laid because they fell the wrong way which caused the sewage to run backwards. No building warrants were applied for in respect of the connections to each home and no wonder - I have never seen worse examples of poor practice.

‘In dealing with a very minor environmental problem, Scottish Water has created a local environmental disaster at significant cost. Now you want the community to trust you in providing a solution that appears to be equally ill- conceived.’

Mr Millican responded by branding the Seil Island sewage works ‘one of the worst schemes that Scottish water has ever delivered’.

He added: ‘I would like to put it on public record that I apologise for the way this scheme has been conduct- ed. I am not proud of the legacy of the work we have done there.

‘The plant is sub- optimal in its performance.

‘ We can get better and I would like to give my assurances about future improvements because of past sensitivities.’

Mr Mackenzie commented: ‘I am sure my constituents will be gratified that Mr Millican has made a public apology and I would like to take up Mr Millican’s offer to meet with him because, while I acknowledge that he has inherited many of these problems, I think there is more work required.

‘I hope we can now get onto a more transparent footing and that Scottish Water’s apology can be the beginning of a better relationship with the community and a better solution for this problem.’