ABOUT 200km of underground water mains are to be renovated in a £10m project on the Yorkshire coast.

Yorkshire Water engineers are spending three weeks in the Falsgrave area of Scarborough, working on the supply system before the project itself begins next week.

The scheme is one of the biggest water quality initiatives the company has undertaken in North Yorkshire.

Once completed, it should result in a higher standard of tap water.

The first, northern, phase will start in the town centre, and take 12 months. It will involve replacing, relining or cleaning 120kms of mains.

Because of the importance of the tourist trade to the town, once the new season begins, work will stop in the town centre and move to the outskirts.

The southern part of the project begins in April, and, to begin with, will be centred in areas away from the town centre.

However, as soon as next year's tourist season draws to a close, engineers will move into the town centre to begin work.

They will work through in the area until spring 2005.

Project manager Dean Williamson said: "This is one of the biggest water quality schemes we have carried out in North Yorkshire in terms of length of main being worked on and cost.

"Because the mains are all buried underground, the scheme will cause some disruption to the area but we will be working extremely hard to minimise the impact it will have."

A liaison group has been formed with local groups to identify any potential problems and devise solutions.