NI Water delivers ‘record levels’ of wastewater compliance

Utility company reports pre-tax profits of more than £100 million

Northern Ireland Water (NI Water) delivered “record levels” of wastewater compliance last year, according to its annual report for 2016/17.

NI Water’s chairman, Dr Leonard O’Hagan, said the company had delivered “record levels of wastewater compliance” and water quality compliance “remains at near record levels”.

The firm said it treats 340 million litres of wastewater every day and reported a 98.89 per cent score for its wastewater compliance.

It also delivered drinking water compliance levels of 99.86 per cent for 2016/17.

In the company’s second year of reporting as part of its six-year business plan to 2021, it posted pre-tax profits of more than £100 million for the year ended 31 March 2017, while revenue rose to £422.4 million.

The government-owned water supplier invested more than £154 million in the period to maintain and improve its treatment works and networks.

Sara Venning, chief executive of NI Water said the firm had “delivered another strong year of business performance”.

“Our successes in protecting health, safeguarding the environment and promoting a strong regional economy have been achieved despite uncertainty over the funding for PC15,” she said.

Venning described the company’s six-year business plan as “a strong ambitious plan designed to bring services in Northern Ireland in line with best in class across the industry.”

She added: “Over the last decade, we have been leading the challenge on doing more for customers with fewer resources. 

“We have transformed the delivery of water and wastewater services, delivering record levels of service for our customers and reaching levels of efficiency on par with some of the leading water companies in England and Wales.”

According to the report, NI Water plans to invest around £120 million in water mains improvement by 2020/21, of which £20 million was invested in 2016/17.