Invest and Improve

With a mandate to deliver a 21st century infrastructure, which entails the laying of a total of 1200km of water mains, it has been estimated that Northern Ireland Water requires total investment of over £3 billion by 2020.

£1.1 billion will have been spent on services for the 5 year period up to 2007/08, a huge and challenging investment.

Major continued investment is needed to deliver real benefits to customers and the environment by further improving the quality of drinking water and by securing better wastewater services including reducing the problems of out of sewer flooding and low water pressure and finally by improving the environment with cleaner beaches and rivers. Pipes

Northern Ireland Water is well underway with a major capital investment programme to improve wastewater treatment facilities and increase levels of compliance. As an example, expenditure has increased ten fold since 2000/01 when approximately £12 million was invested compared to some £122 million in 2005/06. 

Considerable levels of expenditure in this area will continue to be invested as Northern Ireland Water strive to meet the challenging EU compliance targets for wastewater treatment in Northern Ireland. As a result wastewater standards are rising, currently at 82 %. Based on the current projected capital investment over 95 % compliance with Wastewater Treatment Works Discharge Standards will be achieved in 2009.

Girl drinking water

Major continued investment delivers real benefits to customers!