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Northern Ireland Water has begun work on sustainable upgrades to its wastewater treatment plant to lower the business’ energy consumption and carbon footprint.
The plant will feature a 100kW solar energy system to power the site and use reed beds as part of the treatment process.
The £5 million investment will improve local watercourses by using an integrated constructed wetland as a final wastewater treatment filter process.
“As the second largest landowner in Northern Ireland, our assets have the potential to be a catalyst for change across Northern Ireland’s energy and transport networks as a whole,” Sara Venning chief executive of NI Water said of the work.
As the single largest user of electricity in the country, the company is keen to lower its power consumption through innovative sustainable approaches to water and wastewater treatment harnessing renewable power.
Northern Ireland Executive, which owns NI Water, recently confirmed funding for the first year of the company’s six-year investment programme to 2027. The company awaits approval of the remaining five years’ business plan.
In the previous investment period, NI Water was not permitted the full amount it requested for its 2015-21 plans and was limited on the work it could undertake in its wastewater treatment programme.
Infrastructure minister Nichola Mallon said: “Over an expected 25-year lifetime, NI Water expects the solar energy system at Ballykelly alone to save the business approximately £400,000. Trees will also be planted on this site, supporting NI Water’s ambitious target to plant one million trees over the next ten years.”
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