NI Water has invested over £23 million in the past five years to upgrade its sewer network, reducing the risk of out-of-sewer flooding and improving resilience for communities across Northern Ireland.

Delivered through GEDA Construction and AG Wilson Civil Engineering, the rolling programme has repaired more than 30km of sewers from Banbridge to Bushmills and from Donaghadee to Derrylin. Most of the planned works used trenchless techniques to reline pipes via existing manholes, minimising disruption while strengthening infrastructure for the long term.

NI Water Senior Project Manager, Robert McLean, explained: "Working in partnership with AECOM and GEDA, the team works proactively to identify the highest priority areas of the network for improvements by undertaking CCTV surveys of existing sewers and analysing their structural condition, history of blockages and out-of-sewer flooding records.

"Where possible, rather than lay new pipes, the existing sewers are relined from connecting manholes. This effectively creates a new pipe within a pipe to strengthen the existing network and vastly reduces the amount of disruption within communities. In many instances our contractors carry out the sewer relining at night to ensure the work does not impact school or business traffic.

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"Extensive liaison is also undertaken with key stakeholders to ensure any planned improvement work is carried out ahead of proposed environmental schemes such as streetscape works. This helps to reduce disruption in towns and cities across NI."

In addition to planned rehabilitation, NI Water's programme enables rapid response to unexpected bursts or collapses. This reactive work, managed by WSP and delivered by AG Wilson Civil Engineering, requires swift mobilisation to complete repairs quickly. Around a quarter of the £23m total has been spent on unplanned sewer works over the last five years.

McLean thanked partners for their contribution, adding: “As we mark another five years of the programme, I’d like to pay tribute to our project team from AECOM, WSP, GEDA Construction and AG Wilson Civil Engineering and their supply chains who strive to deliver these improvements in a safe, efficient and low-impact way. I look forward to continuing our efforts to strengthen even more sections of the sewer network and deliver even further environmental and economic benefits throughout NI during the remainder of our current capital works programme.”

Over the five-year period, the programme has delivered: 41,782m of CCTV investigations; 22,708m of trenchless sewer rehabilitation; 590.3m of sewer replacement; and 450m of new sewer installation.

Planned improvements were completed in locations across Northern Ireland, including: Antrim, Annalong, Ardglass, Armagh, Ballyclare, Ballymena, Ballynahinch, Banbridge, Bangor, Belfast, Bushmills, Carrickfergus, Castledawson, Clough, Coalisland, Coleraine, Cookstown, Crossgar, Donaghadee, Derryli, Dromore, Dungiven, Dunmurray, Downpatrick, Enniskillen, Galgorm, Garvagh, Groomsport, Hillsborough, Kircubbin, Kilkeel, Killyleagh, Limavady, Lisburn, Derry/Londonderry, Loughbrickland, Loughries, Lurgan, Maghera, Magherafelt, Millisle, Moira, Moy, Newcastle, Newry, Newtownards, Newtownstewart, Omagh, Portaferry, Portrush, Portstewart, Portglenone, Rathfriland, Saintfield, Seahill, Sion Mills, Strabane, Tandragee, Waringstown and Whitehead.