A cohort of local students in the Loughries area of County Down have helped support key sustainable upgrades led by NI Water.

Primary 7 children from Loughries Primary School visited Loughries Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW), where the utility is delivering a major £700,000 project. Work will involve the installation of a 'greener' wastewater treatment solution and includes the construction of a reed bed to replace the old mechanical treatment works.

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Commenting on the improvements, Damien McKeown, NI Water Senior Project Manager said: "This forward-thinking design will bring about environmental improvements - ensuring a compliant standard of discharge to adjacent waterways - and will accommodate local development in the Loughries area for the next 25 years.

"At the heart of the wastewater treatment upgrade is a new reed bed, with over 750 plants. These plants interact with the sun and air to naturally breakdown organic matter in the wastewater and provide an environmentally-friendly and sustainable approach to wastewater treatment.

"NI Water was delighted to welcome pupils from Loughries PS to the site recently to explain how the ecological process works and to have a helping hand at planting the 25m x 9m new reed bed."

The new reed bed at Loughries WwTW is the latest example of a greener approach to wastewater treatment adopted where possible by NI Water.