SIGNIFICANT disruption is expected as plans to build a new water mains in the South Side go ahead.

The pipe will run from a new pumping station to be built in Ibrox and end at a reservoir in Darnley and connect water systems in Ayrshire and Glasgow.

Scottish Water said the project would deliver water to around one million people in Glasgow, East Renfrewshire and Ayrshire.

Four tunnels, under the M8, Glasgow-Ayr, Paisley Canal and Glasgow -Kilmarnock railway lines will be constructed and pass under the Cart and Levern rivers.

In the event of a disruption, the new pipeline will allow millions of litres of water to be transferred to households, if there is a burst main as seen in the Gallowgate last week.

Jane McKenzie, the project’s communications manager, said: “There will be a significant amount of construction activity and while there will be some disruption in communities and for road users, we will do our very best to minimise this.

“We will ensure that affected customers and road users are kept informed about our work.”

Mark Dickson, Scottish Water’s director of capital investment, said the pipeline project would ensure the drinking supply in and around the city “for generations” .

Road crossings will be installed where the pipe runs under streets including: Edmiston Drive, Mosspark Boulevard, Corkerhill Road, Kinnell Avenue, Linthaugh Road, Braidcraft Road, Barrhead Road, Nitshill Road and Darnley Road. It will also pass underneath two city parks: Bellahouston and Househill.

Connecting the networks will provide a two-way water supply between the Milngavie Water Treatment Works (WTW) system, which provides water for more than 700,000 people across much of the Glasgow area, and the Bradan WTW system which supplies more than 200,000 customers across much of Ayrshire. It will also benefit almost 50,000 customers in East Renfrewshire.