Broughty Ferry and Monifieth bathing beaches return to normal after sewer repair
Precautionary advice against bathing or paddling is being lifted from 12noon today
Last updated 25th Aug 2022
Swimmers can return to Broughty Ferry and Monifieth beaches after a complex repair on a sewer pipe beneath Riverside Drive in Dundee was completed.
Precautionary advice against bathing or paddling is being lifted from 12 noon today (Thursday 25th August).
Since the return of the sewer network to normal operation overnight on Tuesday, flows from the west side of Dundee are again being transported via a series of pumping stations to Hatton Waste Water Treatment Works, between Carnoustie and Arbroath on the Angus coast.
Scottish Water and Veolia, who operate the infrastructure under a PFI contract, have been liaising with SEPA, NHS Tayside and local authorities to ensure the short term risk to water quality at the bathing beaches has passed.
Road closures still in place
Reinstatement work has also been progressing since the sewer repair was completed in the eastbound carriageway of Riverside Drive.
Carrying out this final stage of work takes time in order to ensure a long-lasting repair of the road surface, where extensive excavation was needed to access the sewer.
A section of the road is expected to remain closed until Friday, with a signposted diversion in place via Perth Road and Hawkhill. The westbound carriageway is unaffected.
A Scottish Water spokesperson said: “Since the completion of the repair on Tuesday evening, the sewer network that serves our customers in Dundee has returned to normal operation.
“Warnings have remained in place on a precautionary basis at the bathing beaches while a residual impact on water quality remained possible. We are pleased that these can now be lifted so that normal use of the water can resume.
“Our contractor working on site at Riverside Drive remains focused on achieving a high quality reinstatement of the excavation as quickly as possible so that the eastbound carriageway can re-open before the weekend.
"Time is needed at each stage in the process to allow tar to cure, but we will return the road network to normal as soon as we are confident the final surface is ready to receive traffic.
“We would like to thank local communities and road users for their continuing patience and support while our team has been responding to this issue.”