NI Water begins essential wastewater expansion project

Northern Ireland Water has begun a £10 million programme of work at Belfast wastewater treatment plant to increase its capacity.

Two treatment tanks will be added as part of the project to cater to the needs of the growing population of the city and its surrounding areas.

The tanks will be equivalent in volume to six Olympic-size swimming pools to cope with current and short-term future requirements.

Infrastructure minister Nichola Mallon said: “This project will lay the foundation for future work on site, which will form part of the Living With Water Programme.”

The programme aims to deliver integrated sustainable solutions by managing and addressing future flood risk needs across Belfast.

“Our water and wastewater infrastructure is essential to creating jobs, building homes and growing our economy. I will continue to do all I can to make the case for further investment to secure the future of our water and wastewater infrastructure,” Mallon added.

The company is awaiting a final decision from its regulator about how much money will be allocated for the coming six years from April. The current price control left the company underfunded and unable to provide drainage and wastewater services at the pace needed to keep up with developments especially in Belfast.

Kieran Grant, head of wastewater treatment capital delivery at NI Water said: “Due to constraints in investment over the past 20 years, many parts of the wastewater and drainage infrastructure serving greater Belfast are now having to operate at or over their original design capacity.”

Director of finance and regulation Ronan Larkin recently told Utility Week it is vital the company makes a sustained significant increase in investment underpinned with a medium-term funding package to support the delivery of vital infrastructure across the six years to 2027.