Northern Ireland Water Annual Report & Accounts 2018/19

As a society we need to place more value on water Value water 1. To support sustainable economic growth Eco-nomics 3. To be ready for more extreme weather conditions Be resilient 4. NI Water needs to invest in sustainable solutions 7. Putting back more than we take out To improve the water catchments, rivers and lakes which are sources of our drinking water 2. Restore our natural resources And what we put down the sink (no fats, oils and grease) and toilet (only pee, poo and paper) Keep it clear 6. As consumers we need to think about our water consumption (average person uses 150 litres per day. Only around 4 litres is used for drinking, with around 100 litres used in the bathroom and the toilet) Use less 5. Changing howwe all think about water NI Water Annual Report and Accounts 2018/19 NI Water Annual Report and Accounts 2018/19 6 7 Strategic Report Strategic Report Underfunding of our PC15 business plan 2015-21 (£990m actual versus £1.7bn required) has already resulted in curbs to economic development with new housing and businesses being unable to get connected to our sewerage system in around 70 towns throughout the province. Indeed, the growth of Belfast City, the primary economic engine of Northern Ireland will stall unless the £1bn investment in strategic drainage, under the Living with Water Programme, is supported. The City Deal risks not realising its full potential. If you want to put up the cranes, you have to invest in the drains. Page 34 Read more about curbs to development Tipping point We are therefore facing a tipping point as we approach the next business plan period PC21 (2021-27), which will require an investment of around £2.5bn, including the Living with Water Programme. The NI Water Board and Executives continue to work with stakeholders to identify a means to fund this vital investment. However, a solution has not been identified. Our shareholder, DfI, needs to commit to fund this investment but faces competing pressures from transport infrastructure. Unlike in the rest of the UK, the risk of shareholder sanction from the Utility Regulator is much diminished due to our Government ownership. The absence of a NI Assembly places a greater role on the Department of Finance in identifying a solution to avert a funding crisis for vital infrastructure. Putting back more than we take out Our vision is to grow value and trust by being world class. To do this, we need to look beyond the traditional focus on financial capital and hard concrete solutions by ensuring that our decisions sustainably grow all forms of capital. This means maintaining not just our physical water and sewerage infrastructure, but also our renewable natural capital infrastructure. A notable example is the cross border ‘Source to Tap’ partnership in the Erne and Derg areas, which focuses on improving our water catchment ecosystems. This is economically wise and will enable us to pass on a lasting legacy to future generations, underpinning overall prosperity and wellbeing. NI Water is proud to be playing its part in this clean growth revolution. Dr Leonard J. P. O’Hagan CBE DL Chairman 20 June 2019