The Northern Ireland government has come under pressure to support NI Water's next business plan for 2021-27.

Launching its Annual Integrated Report for 2020/21, the utility is urging the government policy makers and regulators to utilise its water and wastewater infrastructure to tackle the climate emergency and nature crisis.

"We are determined to tap into the largely unseen potential for NI Water to address climate change and restore biodiversity," said Sara Venning, Chief Executive at NI Water. "We believe that our infrastructure, which includes significant land holdings and over 3,000 grid connected sites across Northern Ireland, can play a strategically important role in helping society to meet these challenges. Our big, bold ideas were launched in 2020/21 and include nature based solutions such as planting one million trees and restoring our peat bogs; building more renewables on our land; kick-starting our hydrogen economy; and providing sources of warmth for district heating schemes."

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Calling on the government to commit to funding NI Water infrastructure, Ms Venning added: "Over £2 billion is required in our next business plan period PC21 (2021-27), including £0.5 billion for the Living With Water Programme to address strategic drainage in Belfast. This investment is required to start to address the problems of economic development constraints facing our towns and cities. These constraints are impacting adversely on social housing and wider building construction. This is not a 'wish list' or a 'nice to have'; this is the plan that will help us ensure NI Water can deliver in a strong, modern regional economy.

"Changes are also required to Government policy, funding and regulation to rethink infrastructure as a total interconnected system rather than isolated silos. These changes can help our economy to be productive and competitive in a decarbonised world.

"We look forward to providing further details on the 'Power of Water' to address climate change and restore biodiversity in the lead up to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) later this year."

Ms Venning concluded: "NI Water stands ready to deliver. Our PC21 business plan will start to address the underinvestment in our infrastructure and the damage it has caused to our economy and the natural environment. We have consistently demonstrated the importance of this investment to enable a healthy and thriving population, a growing economy and a flourishing natural environment. We need a multi-year funding settlement from Government to efficiently deliver our multi-year plan. So much, which is so very important, to so many, now depends on it."