Her Majesty, The Queen, accompanied by His Royal Highness Prince Philip, officially opened the £120 million ($228,624,129) Milngavie Water Treatment Works in Scotland recently by unveiling a commemorative plaque in the presence of leading dignitaries, including senior leadership from Black & Veatch.
Black & Veatch, a leading global engineering, consulting and construction company, was the main contractor on the project, which provides top-quality drinking water to 700,000 people in the greater Glasgow area. The state-of-the-art facility forms the largest water treatment investment project in Scotland.
To mark the occasion, Scottish Water organized a grand luncheon with guests that included Scottish Water executives and the project team, as well as representatives from Scottish Water, Black & Veatch and other core team partners. Also present were key stakeholders and VIPs, including members of Scottish Parliament, district councillors, the Environment Agency and representatives from a local school who have been following the progress of the scheme for nearly four years.
During her visit, the Queen was introduced to Black & Veatch professionals, including Bruce Ainsworth, executive managing director for Black & Veatch’s water business, and Tony Collins, managing director, UK Water Utilities. She was also introduced to several members of the Black & Veatch project team including Project Director Mark Allan, Commercial Manager Ken McGregor and Construction Manager Bryan Mackie.
John Marshall, Black & Veatch project manager, explained the operations of the lamella wash water recovery system, while Hugh Maclennan, Black & Veatch mechanical and electrical manager, had the opportunity to explain the operation of the filter system to the royal party.
Reflecting on the day’s events, Ainsworth said, “It was truly an honor to have one of our most high-profile projects be officially opened by the Queen. Black & Veatch is proud to have contributed to this historic scheme, which has resulted in Glasgow getting a new sustainable water supply fit for the 21st century.”
The multi-faceted Katrine Water Project includes an ultra-modern treatment works, two covered reservoirs, a pumping station, a system of tunnels and intake structures and a number of other network improvements to complement and significantly extend the overall operation.
The project was delivered about $19 million under budget and ahead of Scottish Water’s time schedule.
Commenting on the royal visit, Ronnie Mercer, chairman of Scottish Water, later said, “I thought the team's efforts paid off handsomely, not just for the royal party but for all the other guests. It was a special day for all concerned and Scottish Water and Black & Veatch rose to the occasion.”Source: Black & Veatch
