AQW 14613/22-27 Written question to the Minister for Infrastructure
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail the recent steps his Department has taken to help ensure untreated sewage is not discharged into rivers in South Antrim.
Asked by John Blair MLA on 9 September 2024
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Tabled
- 9 September 2024
- Answer due by
- 24 September 2024
- Answered
- 8 October 202429 days after tabling
- Department
- Department for Infrastructure
- Priority question
- No
Answer
My Department’s role is to set policy and provide funding to NI Water in the form of a subsidy, in lieu of domestic water charges. In terms of funding for 2024-25, I have provided NI Water with a total budget allocation of almost £0.5 billion, representing just under 40% of the total non-ring-fenced budget for my Department. This reflects the central importance of water and sewerage services to our society.
NI Water has advised that during the PC21 period (2021/22 - 2026/27), proposed investment of almost £12.2m is planned for wastewater infrastructure in South Antrim, to help reduce the risk of untreated sewage entering rivers in South Antrim. A breakdown of this proposed investment is set out in the table below. All future investment is subject to the availability of funding and statutory approvals being in place.
| Project | PC21 Estimated Investment (£’000) |
| Glenavy Road Crumlin wastewater pumping station (WwPS) site investigation | 100 |
| Islandreagh WwPS upgrade | 4 |
| Dunadry WwPS upgrade | 2,300 |
| Neillsbrook WwPS upgrade appraisal (complete) | 1,100 |
| Randalstown terminal pumping station (S01425) - screen under capacity | 5 |
| 240,242 Lisnevenagh Road, Antrim - sewer study | 37 |
| The Grange wastewater treatment works (WwTW) - catchment sewerage investigations | 1,100 |
| Cranfield New WwTW - capacity relief project | 35 |
| Antrim Drainage Area - Glenavy Road WwPS, Crumlin | 2,700 |
| Antrim Drainage Area Plan - unsatisfactory intermittent discharge (Phase 1) | 200 |
| Whitehouse Drainage Area - Sandyknowes WwPS * | 3,000 |
| Whitehouse Drainage Area - Waverly combined sewer overflow * | 1,600 |
| Total Proposed Investment in PC21 | 12,181 |
* Investment spread across other constituencies