Scottish Water Delivers £2.5million Benbecula Upgrade, Securing Future of Island's Water Supply

30 July 2025
placeholder image 775 x 410

Scottish Water’s £2.5 million investment on the island of Benbecula is now complete, with 11 kilometres of water pipeline replaced to ensure a reliable and high-quality water supply for the local community for years to come. 

The project has seen the replacement of the water main along the stunning South Ford Causeway between the island of Benbecula and South Uist, as well as on rural land and road verges beside the A865. 

Work began in January 2024 and has now been successfully delivered on time and to a high standard. 

The work was delivered by Scottish Water’s alliance partner, Caledonia Water Alliance (CWA) in collaboration with local contractor MacInnes Bros.

The team was made up entirely of residents from South and North Uist - a community-focused approach set to ensure local expertise is central to the project while supporting the island's economy.

Aerial view of a road winding through a coastal landscape with a partial rainbow in the sky

Aerial view of a coastal road crossing over a narrow strip of land with shimmering blue waters on either side, leading towards distant mountains under a cloudy sky.

“It was interesting learning about water and how important it is for everyone.”

Max
Lochdar School pupil from GL7

As part of community engagement commitments, CWA delivered water-related presentations at Balivanich Primary School (Sgoil Bhaile a’Mhanaich), Benbecula, and Lochdar School (Sgoil an Iochdair), South Uist.

Paul Milligan, CWA Communication Manager, said: “It was a delight to visit the two schools on such a beautiful part of the Outer Hebrides. 

We provided information to the students about the source of their water, how it is treated, and how it reaches their school. We also presented an overview of the project and how it will benefit their community for years to come. Lastly, we discussed the water cycle and engaged with students on how to save water and what not to flush down their toilet.

Scottish Water continues to deliver essential upgrades to its infrastructure throughout the Outer Hebrides as part of country-wide capital investment programme, with work ongoing at other key sites including both Ness and Stornoway on Lewis. 

Group of schoolchildren proudly displaying Scottish Water reusable water bottles in a classroom, with an adult supervising in the background.

CWA visit to Lochdar School (Sgoil an Iochdair) on South Uist