An ABC Councillor has branded the worsening water infrastructure situation in Northern Ireland as a “crisis” after hearing a presentation from NI Water at a recent full meeting of Council.
In attendance on behalf of NI Water were Dr Stephen Blockwell, Head of Investment Management, Engineering and Sustainability Directorate, and Gary Lawther, Head of Developer Services, Metering & Billing, Customer & Operations Directorate.
The pair provided a presentation to members on the evening of Monday (February 23) which encompassed information relating to funding, the issues impacting the wastewater system, development constraints, Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council’s Local Development Plan 2030, investment and a business planning road map.
Ultimately, the takeaway from the presentation was that a “permanent funding solution” was required, with “short-term injections of surplus funds” being beneficial, but not as a sustainable solution for critical infrastructure.
Dr Blockwell explained that since 2024, the funding situation has changed “dramatically”. Instead of £500 – £600 million per year as agreed with the utility regulator, they are instead working to £321 million – roughly equating to a £650 million shortfall with this reduced level expected to continue.
He added: “A shortfall like this affects our ability to upgrade essential infrastructure, connect new homes and businesses and deliver environmental improvements. The decisions being taken now are crucial, not just for the next five years, but for the long term resilience of Northern Ireland’s water and waste water services.”
In response, Councillor Keith Ratcliffe said: “Crisis is definitely how I would describe this presentation. Really unbelievable how badly our water, Northern Ireland Water, has been there.”
Describing a situation of which he has personal experience, the Councillor added: “I live close to Clare village there and the River Cusher runs through that and I was made aware, just in the summer, the pumping station there, obviously whenever the river overflows with the storm and stuff, there’s partial raw sewage actually released into the river.
“I just can’t believe, whenever I looked at figures, there’s seven million tonnes of raw sewage yearly being put into our rivers which, ultimately, is doing serious harm to our environment and ends up a good bit of it, probably, in Lough Neagh.
“We always hear about the farmers getting the blame so I would like to know what the figure is because, that was released in 2021, so I’d like to know what the figure is maybe from last year if we have those details? That is a serious amount of raw sewage going into our rivers, it’s a real big concern.”
The Councillor then also addressed the ongoing issues with having planning permission approved for new-build residential homes in Markethill.
“I’ve also another concern about Markethill there, I see it’s been put back again,” he said. “People are looking houses built, planning is being put back further and further and I know you probably don’t even have a timescale for that, but I’d just like to see or hear if you’ve any update at all on timing for that in Markethill?
“I know it’s been going on for quite a long time and it’s obviously been put on the back burner. [To Dr Blockwell] You’ve a tough job on your hands that’s all I can say. It’s very, very clear how bad our fundamental water is and our basic infrastructure.
“I think a lot of questions need to be asked to try and resolve this and I know it’s going to take a huge amount of money but… I think answers need to be coming from Stormont.”
Dr Blockwell advised the Councillor that up-to-date figures regarding “spills on the environment” are available on their website for “anyone” to view.
Regarding the pollution of Lough Neagh, he added “in terms of relative contribution regarding the farming community… we were about 26%”. He also suggested it would take a “joined0up solution” for the betterment of water infrastructure across all of Northern Ireland.
For Markethill, Dr Blockwell said: “Yes, it’s been put back. We are doing a feasibility study trying to work up an appraisal over the next year or two to sort of identify what the solution is that will go into our next price control process, and I set up the timeline in the last-but-one slide [of the presentation].
“So that will go into that sort of five year business plan and that will then be subject to available funds coming and, as you mentioned, it’s a political solution to the funding issues that we are facing, but we are committed to efficiently delivering and maximising the funding that we get and trying to underpin your Council’s Local Development Plan as well but we are in a difficult position there.”
Ald Greenfield then came in, adding: “…It is a fairly stark situation that we are in. Suppose one thing that you drew attention to there, you did mention on page 5 [of the presentation] that 13 amber units where a solution can be found and I would like to know, just roughly, how long that process should take?
“We’re working with a developer where, since May 24, planning application approved with a negative condition despite trying to work with NI Water, they were not able to come up with a solution, so they have put in the Article 154 for upgrading the pumping station. As you will know, that costs £10,000 to £12,000, I’m not sure, and that was done last January and we were told a solution was due in six months. We’re still now 12 to 13 months later…”
The Alderman went on to ask again the timeframe for the sign off, given that the developer had already submitted for the upgrades to the station and paid the money.
Explained Gary Lawther in response: “The amber units mean there is a potential solution so the process that we would ask developers to go through… the first thing we would do is ask them to fill in a pre-development enquiry and that looks at a high level around capacity for water and waste water assets traversing the site.
“Then the next stage is, that if there is a waste water constraint or there’s an issue, we’ll ask them to fill in what’s called a waste water impact assessment. So normally, the response to that is 60 working days and we’ll go back to developers within 60 workings days with a potential solution.
“Depending what the solution is and, I’m not sure of the detail in this case but I’m happy to look into it, if an Article 154 is required that’s where part of the solution is that NI Water has to lay new infrastructure.
“The design phase to that can take up to a year and we’re quite open about that. It depends on the length of it, depends on the ground conditions, it depends if there’s third party lands and there is a process to go through and developers are generally aware of that.
“But if this is going back to 2024, I’m not sure what’s happened there but we’re happy to take that away and look into it.”
Replied the Alderman: “I suppose that’s the problem we’re having. We are saying about 60 working days and they have put it in and we are not even getting responses back through an elected rep or through an MLA’s office on it and I suppose I would appreciate that we could have a conversation afterwards, because it’s obviously two years into the planning now and there’s a lot of interest in this area.
“So there’s something has fallen whenever they were told they should be, maybe, six months. I’ve never heard of the year before but that’s maybe something different. So I’d appreciate if that could maybe be looked at after.”
Other members, including Alliance Cllr Peter Lavery and Cllr Thomas O’Hanlon, took the opportunity to thank NI Water for the work they were doing but also sought clarity on a number of points.
NI Water are to return information to members at a later date.
