Confined space tunnel development completed in Glasgow

Scottish Water is celebrating the completion of the biggest waste water tunnel construction in Glasgow, Scotland.

A state-of-the-art tunnel boring machine (TBM) has spent 15 months creating the 3.1 mile-long sewer beneath the area of Glasgow.

The Shiedihill Tunnel improvements have replaced the previous Victorian waste water management infrastructure and river water quality system from Craighton to Queen’s Park, via Bellahouston and Pollok parks. The installation of more than 3,200 concrete rings, marked the completion of the construction phrase.

The next stage of the project is to connect the 1000-tonne tunnel to the previous waste water network system next summer.

Douglas Millican, Scottish Water’s Chief Executive, welcomed the milestone moment in the project saying: “We are delighted to have completed the construction phase of the Shieldhall Tunnel, which is the flagship project in Scottish Water’s investment in the waste water infrastructure in the Greater Glasgow area – the biggest in well over a century.”

Roseanna Cunningham, the Environment Secretary who launched the TBM in July 2016, said: “The Shieldhall Tunnel is an extraordinary feat of modern engineering which builds on the endeavours of those pioneers who sought to improve Glasgow’s waste water network more than a century ago. Providing an excellent effective waste water network which serves our growing communities is vital to the city’s infrastructure and environment, now and for future generations.”

Neil Grosset, Project Director for CVJV on the Shieldhall Tunnel, said: “All at Costain and VINCI Construction Grands Projets are delighted to have completed construction of the Shieldhall Tunnel for Scottish Water and the people of Glasgow.

“This is one of the most challenging projects many of us have worked on and the completion of the tunnel construction is testament to the skills, knowledge and determination of our team who have safely delivered a high quality piece of infrastructure that will have a huge positive impact for the city now and in the future.”

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