We are Not Blind to the Bigger Picture

We are not saying anything new. What we can’t understand is why, in the face of evidence from the providers, planners still wish to approve this development.

NI Water Draft Strategy

River Lagan

Over the past 15 years the capital budget made
available for investment in sewerage services has not
been able to keep pace with the investment required
to provide increased capacity to facilitate growth or
achieve more stringent standards to achieve water
quality targets. As a result, many of our sewerage
networks and treatment plants are now having to
operate at or beyond their design capacity
, limiting
opportunities for new connections and constraining
economic development.

Click here for original document this quote on page 26

‘Drains before Cranes

However, this future success and our progress to date is dependent on a solution being found to the funding of water and sewerage infrastructure. Northern Ireland is unique within the UK as being the only part where the regulated water utility is unable to fully implement the economic regulator’s final determination due to public expenditure constraints.

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 over 100 towns across 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, as do the other local council development plans. If you want to put up the cranes, you have to invest in the drains.’

Take note, they are experts and saying what we said
Click here for original document this quote on page 4

REMEMBER

NI WATER Own Capacity Information Says

‘Drumbeg

Glenavy

Moneyreagh

* Upgrades of the Dromara, Kinnegar (Ards & North Down) & Whitehouse (Antrim & Newtownabbey) Wastewater Treatment Works are currently programmed to be completed within the PC21 Price Control period, subject to all statutory approvals being in place, land acquisition (where appropriate), and the availability of funding.

NI Water’s sewer network capacity mapping tool and sewer network modelling activities have identified capacity issues in parts of the Annahilt, Drumbeg Dromara, Dunmurry, Raverent, Glenavy, Lisburn, Newtownbreda, Maghaberry, Moneyreagh and Kinnegar wastewater networks. As a result, negative planning responses may be provided by NI Water in parts of these catchments. NI Water can consider the provision of positive planning responses where developers can demonstrate (including calculations):

  1. Like for like development
  2. Extant previously approved development (where NI Water has given a positive response)
  3. Where the development will offer a reduced loading on the sewer network, which may include storm separation and/or attenuation (may be subject to Article 154)’

Original Source Here