Northern Ireland Water has announced a £19m investment programme in Fermanagh to improve water and wastewater services in the area.

The investment, announced at a Fermanagh District Council meeting late last month, relates to a number of schemes that are already underway or planned to commence within this financial year.

The work includes the upgrade of Enniskillen and Derrylin Wastewater Treatment Works and various reservoir rehabilitation projects.

Chris Mellor, NI Water’s Chairman and Chief Executive, said: "This level of investment in Fermanagh is part of our commitment to bring water and wastewater services in Northern Ireland up to the highest possible standard both in terms of quality and cost.

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"I am confident that over the next few years this investment will bring tremendous sustainable benefits to households, local industry, businesses and tourism.

William Duddy, Director of Customer Services, said: "NI Water has earmarked a number of projects to begin within the next year to improve services provided to customers in the Fermanagh area.

"There is an urgent need to address the issues arising from the legacy of under-investment to enable us to match or exceed performance levels of similar UK water companies by 2015. For a number of reasons, money that should have been spent on water and sewerage down the years was not.

"NI Water is now addressing this issue in a fundamental way that will produce real benefits for our customers in the future," he added.

By 2010 NI Water will have invested £492 million in wastewater treatment and collection systems and £174 million in water treatment and storage systems.

(PR)