Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy has announced that NI Water will be starting essential improvements to the sewerage infrastructure in Downpatrick.

Work will begin in the Market Street and Hunters Mill areas of the town in November 2013.

These essential improvement schemes represent a total investment of approximately £2.6m and will continue until spring 2015.

Minister Kennedy said: "These improvement schemes are good news for the local area, as they will reduce the risk of out of sewer flooding, meet the needs of future development in the area and will help meet Northern Ireland Environment Agency Standards."

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The improvements at Market Street will involve the following:

• Construction of a new pumping station/storm retention tank in an area of the car park behind the Grove Shopping Centre.

• Laying of a new foul pumping main from the new pumping station to Russells Park Pumping Station (located in Dunleath Park).

• Laying of a new storm pumping main to the River Quoile (via the car park access road, through the Down Historical Railway grounds and across the fields to the river).

• Final sewer upgrades and connections in Market Street to route flows to the new pumping station.

• Demolition of the existing Market Street pumping station.

The Hunters Mill Project, which will also get underway in November, will provide extra stormwater storage, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall and will reduce the risk of out of sewer flooding in the area.

During construction, a temporary construction road will be constructed via the playing fields in order to minimise any inconvenience to the residents of Thomas Russell Park.

(CD/JP)