Tower Road and tunnel entrance

Image: © Robert Murray Taken: 1 Nov 2011

The Strathblane Cross Connection, which was completed in 2002 allows raw water from the Katrine Aqueduct (to Mugdock and Craigmaddie reservoirs) to be transferred to the Lomond Aqueduct – a pre-existing cross-connection already permitting flow in the opposite direction. The new connection enables savings to be made on pumping costs, since gravity fed water from Loch Katrine can be used to supply the Balmore Water Treatment Works, rather than relying solely on pumped water from Loch Lomond. The result is the full utilisation of the existing water treatment capacity at the Balmore WTW and therefore, the gravity-fed Katrine water replaces some of the Loch Lomond supply, which needs to be pumped over 50m in elevation to Balmore WTW. A pilot plant has also been constructed to efficiently treat the mix of these different waters. The plant operates non-stop to optimise the treatment process for Loch Lomond and Loch Katrine water. Ref. water-Terchnolgy.net

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