The improvement work involved the renewal and upgrade of sections of the existing waste water infrastructure near to the beachfront in Largs so that the network can continue to serve customers and protect the local environment for years to come.

A significantly longer, screened outfall pipe, 220 metres in length from shore to sea, has been constructed to replace a short storm outfall pipe which was 80 metres in length.

This now means that combined storm water is screened and can be returned much further out into the deeper sea channel, thereby reducing the potential impact on the bathing water and the wider marine environment.

Ruaridh MacGregor, Scottish Water’s corporate affairs manager in the west, said: “Protecting and enhancing the environment is one of Scottish Water’s top priorities and it was vital that this work was delivered to help improve bathing water quality and create a cleaner environment.

“The improvements which we’ve made, and the greater sewer capacity which we now have in the area, will help reduce the frequency and volume of combined storm water and waste water spillages into the bay in storm conditions. The new screening we’ve installed here will also help prevent items which are wrongly flushed down the toilet finding their way into the sea.”

He added: “To help us protect the environment and Scotland’s coastal waters, rivers and lochs, we would ask our customers to only flush the 3Ps down the toilet – Pee, Poo and (Toilet) Paper. Everything else should go in the bin.”

Scottish Water’s alliance partners amey Black and Veatch (aBV) assigned George Leslie to carry out the project which took around ten months for completion.

The work has been undertaken ahead of Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters 2020.