The Living with Water Programme (LWWP)

The Living with Water Programme (LWWP) is a multi-agency initiative headed by the Department for Infrastructure to develop a Strategic Drainage Infrastructure Plan (SDIP) for Belfast to support economic growth, protect the environment and address flood risk.

Project Overview

As coordinator of the programme, DfI currently works collaboratively with a number of partner organisations, including: NI Water; DfI Roads and Rivers; the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA); the Utility Regulator; Belfast City Council; Department for Communities (DfC); and the Strategic Investment Board (SIB).

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Story of Belfast Lough

In late 2023 DfI announced that it had initiated a review of the Living With Water Programme for Belfast to determine if it should continue to be implemented, and under what level of funding.

NI Water and the other LWWP Partners (DEARA, NIEA, Belfast City Council and the Utility Regulator) have each actively participated in the review process and now await direction on the level of funding to be provided so that NI Water can assess if any of the proposed LWWP NI Water Major Projects for Greater Belfast will be able to proceed as had been planned in 2021.

NI Water has developed the ‘Story of Belfast Lough’ to explain how the wastewater system, water quality and capacity constraints have reached this point and the importance of the decisions ahead.

It was developed by drawing upon:

  • Surveys and analysis used to develop the 2021 LWWP Plan for Belfast and subsequent business cases.
  • Responses made in response to the ongoing DfI LWWP Review.
  • The latest data on water quality from DAERA.
  • Recently published statements and reports by other organisations, such as the OEP Report on WFD Compliance and the draft RBMP, which was published on 3 September.


Click here to access the ‘Story of Belfast Lough’ document


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