Water Service To Invest Ł47 Million In Coleraine Borough Council Area

5 October 2004
WATER SERVICE TO INVEST Ł47 MILLION IN COLERAINE BOROUGH COUNCIL AREA
DRD Water Service today announced plans to start projects worth Ł47 million in the Coleraine Borough, over the next three years, as the capital works programme was presented to Coleraine Borough Council.

Director of Customer Services, William Duddy, said: "Investment of Ł3 billion over the next 20 years is required to protect public health, meet European standards on water quality, respond to increasing demand, and upgrade infrastructure.

"This investment programme is already underway and the Government has allocated around Ł590 million to invest in water and sewerage services up to 2006, throughout Northern Ireland.

"Local projects include the Ł42 million North Coast Wastewater Treatment Works, which will treat wastewater from Castlerock, Coleraine, Portrush and Portstewart and is currently out to tender. This important scheme will play a vital role in ensuring that the area's bathing waters meet increasingly demanding national and European regulations."

Mr Duddy also detailed an extensive programme of improvements to other Wastewater Treatment Works including Clarehill, Kilrea and Macosquin, accompanied by sewer extensions and replacements.

He said: "Turning to water supply, we are also continuing to upgrade the water supply infrastructure. The River Bann pumping station scheme will reinforce the supply to Ballinrees Water Treatment Works, providing additional capacity for the whole area. Zonal studies of the water distribution system in the Ballinrees supply zones will lead to an extensive programme of watermain schemes which will improve and maintain water quality in the area. In addition, existing minor watermain extensions and renewals are progressing through design and construction stages."

The Minister, John Spellar, MP, recently announced proposals for domestic charges for water and sewerage services including protection for low income households and changes to the current non-domestic charging arrangements. These reforms, including the commencement of phasing in of the new charges, are to be implemented from 2006/7, or as soon as practicable thereafter.

An Integrated Impact Assessment of the Water Reform proposals, addressing matters such as equality and regulatory impacts, will be published for consultation in the autumn.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Details of the proposals for domestic and non-domestic charges for water and sewerage services can be found on www.waterreformni.gov.uk.

For media queries, contact Anne McGivern at the DRD Press Office on 028 9054 0004.

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