NI Water's Foyle Street Network Upgrades Project has been named winner of the 2026 Upgrade & Renewal Award at the British Construction & Infrastructure Awards (BCIA) in London.

Valued at £4.2 million and completed last year, the scheme modernised essential water and wastewater assets along Foyle Street in Derry/Londonderry. It has delivered environmental, operational and community gains while bolstering capacity for future growth in the city centre.

The judging panel praised the project, describing it as: "An outstanding example of a motivated and collaborative team delivering the replacement of a Victorian sewer by a separate gravity foul and storm sewage system, to client's and stakeholder satisfaction, ensuring climate resilience and carbon savings. A small scheme delivered well."

Regarded as among the sector's most respected accolades, the BCIA Awards recognise excellence in delivery and highlight projects that provide lasting value for communities, stakeholders and the environment.

NI Water Project Manager, Kieran Grant added: "We are delighted that the Foyle Street Network Upgrades Project has received this prestigious industry recognition. This award reflects the commitment, collaboration and expertise demonstrated by the entire project team throughout the delivery of what was a complex and challenging scheme in the heart of Derry city centre.

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"I would like to congratulate our contractor BSG PHACE, our design partner ARUP, and all of our stakeholders, including Derry City and Strabane District Council, Translink, Department for Communities and the City Centre Initiative, for their invaluable support.

"Stakeholder engagement with local businesses and the wider community was fundamental to the success of this project, which has undoubtedly delivered important long-term benefits for the city, reducing the risk of out-of-sewer flooding, improving network resilience and supporting future growth and development in the local area."

Jim Roddy, City Centre Initiative, added: "Congratulations to everyone involved in delivering this award-winning project.

"The Foyle Street project team delivered a project in a very challenging environment in an exemplar fashion. All the challenges were dealt with promptly and the area was re-opened for Christmas, finishing ahead of schedule!

"The views of the traders were taken on board and we were delighted the art project was completed as well as the provision of a public access defibrillator, leaving a lasting legacy of the project."

More than 130 site operatives — including apprentices, placement students and engineering trainees — worked on the renewal of 100-year-old water and wastewater infrastructure between Shipquay Place and Water Street.

Over nearly 34,000 manhours, the team installed 400 metres of dedicated stormwater sewer and a new foul sewer to separate this stretch of the combined system, together with 170 metres of new watermain. Upgrades to more than 50 property connections on Foyle Street have fully modernised the network in this key city centre location.

The accolade reflects the strong collaboration among delivery partners and underscores NI Water's ongoing commitment to building sustainable, resilient infrastructure for customers, communities and the environment.