Northern Ireland Water has an ongoing programme for the improvement of existing water mains which will see £80 million invested in the upgrading of over 1000 kilometres of water mains throughout Northern Ireland.

This will ensure that:

• Current high levels of drinking water quality will be maintained
• Leakage will be reduced
• Interruption to supply minimised
• Development and investment prospects across Northern Ireland will be enhanced

The water mains infrastructure in Northern Ireland supplies 625 million litres of water per day to 1.7 million consumers in households, farms and businesses. However, some parts of the current system are over 40 years old and have become prone to bursts, leaks and pressure problems.

Northern Ireland Water is committed to improving efficiency and to developing a reliable and secure water supply system that meets the increasingly stringent standards set by the European Union.

To determine the nature of work required in a rehabilitation zone a Detailed Zonal Study (DZS) is undertaken. The system is assessed against a set of “Key Performance Indicators” and a Needs Report and Options Report are developed. The Needs Report outlines the structural condition, hydraulic performance, water quality and operational performance while the Options Report details the construction work required to address the problems identified.

A dedicated Project Management team, comprising specialists from Northern Ireland Water and Atkins Consultants are managing the roll out of the project across Northern Ireland.

To minimise disruption, modern pipelaying and renovation techniques, including low-dig technology are used in excavations.

Local people in the vicinity of the works may experience some inconvenience as a result of the works. This may vary from interruptions to water supply, traffic disruption and restricted access to property. Householders, businesses and residents likely to be affected will be notified by contractors prior to work commencing and every effort will be made to limit both the extent and the duration of any disruption.

Bogus Callers

Northern Ireland Water employees and their contractors all carry an identity card with a photograph of the holder. You can confirm the holder’s identify by contacting the Waterline number. Beware of bogus callers – always ask to see identification.

Special Needs

Please let us know of any special needs which you feel we should be aware of in relation to your water supply during works by phoning our Customer Helpline on 08457 440088.