SKIPTON'S tap water is to be improved in taste and appearance as part of a multi-million pound scheme being undertaken by Yorkshire Water.

It will improve water quality by reducing the presence of natural sediment in water that sticks to the inner lining of old cast iron pipes.

A total of 75 kilometres of the town's pipe network is to be 'flush cleaned' as part of a £13.5 million programme taking place across Yorkshire, say company chiefs.

Water quality will be improved by reducing mineral deposits in pipes, such as iron and manganese, that on occasion can cause discoloured water to come out of taps.

Although this is unlikely to be harmful to health in such small traces, it can affect taste and make water appear slightly cloudy.

To help prevent this, specialist Yorkshire Water technicians will systematically operate valves on water mains in Skipton and further afield the county. This will enable water to be flushed through the pipes at high speed, which stirs up and removes any historic deposits.

David Stevenson, head of water distribution at Yorkshire Water, said: "Our mission is to provide water to people that is clean and safe to drink.

"Drinking water quality within Yorkshire is already excellent, with 99.95 per cent of about 500,000 water tests we carried out in the past year meeting the stringent standards set by the Drinking Water Inspectorate.

"However, this project will improve water quality even further.

“Whilst the flushing takes place it may cause a slight change in the colour of tap water for a couple of hours. Any discolouration can be solved by running the kitchen tap until the water runs clear and can be consumed.”

The company says it has 31,000 kilometres of pipework, which includes sections of cast iron pipes inherited from the Victorian era, as well as lead pipes.

It is in the process of replacing hundreds of lead pipes from its network with modern plastic ones to ensure it continues to exceed water quality regulations.

According to officials, within the past five years, Yorkshire Water has reduced water quality customer contacts by 14 per cent and aims to reduce these further within the next two years.