23 November 2004
WATER SERVICE INVESTS £23 MILLION IN ANTRIM COUNCIL AREA
DRD Water Service today announced plans to start projects worth £23 million in the Antrim area, over the next three years. This is in addition to schemes valued at £360,000 currently under construction or completed this year.
Charles Hamilton, Water Service Customer Services, presented the details of the capital works programme to Antrim Borough Council.
Charles Hamilton said: "Investment of £3 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 £590 million to invest in water and sewerage services up to 2006, throughout Northern Ireland.
"Local projects include a £12.5 million upgrading of Milltown Wastewater Treatment Works which will ensure that the facility will meet increasingly stringent discharge standards and cater for future development.
"The sewer network continues to be expanded to cater for new developments and improvements to the network will result from drainage area studies."
Watermain zonal studies will also lead to major watermain improvements that will strengthen the network in the area."
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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