NI Water is set to begin a vital programme of works on Monday 10 November 2025 to protect Derry City's water supply for the next 25 years.

The first phase involves strengthening the Strand Road Trunk Main, the large pipeline crossing the Craigavon Bridge on the city side, by applying an innovative protective wrap. This measure is designed to reinforce the network and prevent corrosion in the marine and saltwater environment.

Gary McFadden, NI Water Senior Project Manager, said: "The Strand Road Trunk Main is showing early signs of deterioration and to ensure it can continue to serve customers in Derry/Londonderry, a protective wrap will be applied to the pipeline. This new system will protect against corrosion in a marine/saltwater environment and help ensure the future security of the water supply.

"The process of wrapping the pipe is much less disruptive than replacing the pipe, with only short-term lane closures required to erect and dismantle scaffolding. To allow the wrapping process to get underway, our contractor Farrans-Glanua JV will begin erecting scaffolding on the lower deck of the Craigavon Bridge on Monday 10th November 2025.

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"One lane of the Craigavon Bridge, travelling out of the city towards Bridge Street will be closed during off-peak hours (9.30am – 4.30pm) daily for 3 weeks to facilitate this. The upper deck of the bridge will remain open at all times. Once the scaffolding and hoarding is safely in place, the lower deck will be reopened and will remain open until the scaffolding needs to be dismantled.

"We expect the wrapping and other associated works to take around 10 weeks to complete. The erection of the scaffolding was programmed to get underway after the city's recent annual Halloween festivities and before the busy Christmas period. NI Water and our team from McAdam and Farrans-Glanua JV take this opportunity to thank the public for their patience and cooperation as we work to safeguard the local water supplies."

Following the completion of the Strand Road Trunk Main works, a second phase will replace the Corrody to Creggan Trunk Main on the opposite side of the bridge. This larger pipeline, which supplies drinking water to the Creggan area, has experienced multiple bursts and is currently out of service.

The replacement project will secure water supply to nearly 35,000 properties in the city. Farrans-Glanua JV plan to carry out the pipeline replacement from a barge on the river, with the new pipeline also receiving protective wrapping to enhance durability. A lane closure on the lower deck of the Craigavon Bridge will be needed to erect and dismantle scaffolding for this work, which is expected to begin in spring 2026.