Road diversion in place until 2024 as water pipe nightmare gets sorted at Camster
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An ongoing issue with underground water pipes in the Camster area of Caithness may finally be resolved after extensive work is completed by early next year.
As previously reported in the paper in 2017, many families in the Camster/Roster area have struggled with ageing pipes breaking and their supplies being switched off for over 20 years.
Retired schoolteacher Peter Darmady said that Scottish Water, the company responsible for the supply, had always been "polite, courteous and understanding" with regard to the issues and that he was "very pleased" that the work was finally being undertaken. "To be honest, I am patient and do understand why it's taken so long," he said. "But we are the lucky ones who have a rivulet running past the back door and a well within 30m. Not all have been so lucky. Residents in towns would not have had to wait 20 years."
Broken pipes had been the cause of great misery for the Darmady family since they moved to their house in 2001 and when the supplies were cut off Scottish Water would send out bottles of water to them and any other affected household. The water company had made numerous attempts to resolve the issue but, according to Mr Darmady, the pipes kept breaking.
"Basically, the pipe from Occumster is very old and keeps breaking. Therefore, we often lose water," he said back in 2017 when initially interviewed about the problem. "We wake up and go to the kitchen tap; there is a splutter and then no water. I then go to the phone, speed-dial Scottish Water and give my postcode – to be told, they are working on it."
At that time, he had said that new water pipes were needed and that repairs were pointless, adding that Roster and Camster "will continue to have water shortages until the pipes were replaced".
Highland Council said that it had temporary traffic prohibitions on the C1029 Occumster to Watten Road; the U1174 Gordon's Road; and the U1178 Torreviach to Newlands Road, Lybster due to Scottish Water work which will remain in effect until 6pm on Friday, February 9, 2024. Diversions are in place via the New Clyth Road to allow access to and from the A99. Further works up the Camster road are planned for 2024.
A spokesperson for Scottish Water said: “Our capital project delivery partner Caledonia Water Alliance and their contractor GMR Henderson are working in Occumster to replace around 9km of water main. This work is needed to renew the ageing pipes that serve the area and ensure we can provide customers with a reliable water supply for many years to come.
“The first phase of work which is currently underway involves a ‘rolling’ road closure with a signposted local diversion. The location of the closure on the local road network, and the diversion, will change as work progresses over the next nine months. Arrangements for the second phase of work, extending north to Upper Camster, will be confirmed before it begins.
“We would like to thank customers in the area for their patience while we have been preparing to make this essential investment and apologise for the impact of bursts on their service in recent years. Our team on site will continue to keep residents informed as work progresses and will do all they can to minimise short term disruption for road users as far as possible.”
The spokesperson admitted that customers in Occumster have experienced "quite a lot of unplanned supply interruptions in recent years" and this is what has prompted the current project. He added that there will be a period later in the programme when the Camster road re-opens and there will be a closure on the New Clyth Road; and also a period when there is a closure on the loop road that provides a second link between the two.
Customers in the affected areas received letters from the water company ahead of the work to explain what was happening.
