Gary Curran suggested that current funding of around £424m per year will do little more than maintain current provision. \ David Ruffles
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An investment of at least £3.5bn is required over the next five years if NI Water is to address issues around drinking water quality and environmental pressures, a senior official in the government-owned company has said.
Appearing before a joint meeting of the Stormont Agriculture and Infrastructure committees, Gary Curran suggested that current funding of around £424m per year will do little more than maintain current provision. “Longstanding underinvestment in wastewater infrastructure has left NI with systems that are under capacity for today’s population, housing need, and environmental expectations,” he said.
In March, Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir confirmed his intention to seek agreement from the Stormont Executive to end a long-standing arrangement with NI Water known as a Statement of Regulatory Principles and Intent (SORPI).
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The agreement means that NI Water doesn’t face immediate penalties for pollution incidents if upgrades are underway. It was put in place between the NI Environment Agency and NI Water when the company was formed in 2007 and recognised the fact the new entity was inheriting infrastructure in need to investment. At the meeting last Tuesday, Curran suggested that if the SORPI is removed now it won’t affect the amount of raw sewage being discharged into the likes of Belfast Lough. However, it could mean more prosecutions and more of the NI Water budget being spent on legal processes and fines.
“We would welcome the opportunity for SORPI to be removed if the conditions are correct. The biggest action that would help to mitigate [the impact of SORPI removal], is that if we are able to undertake the work required so that SORPI and prosecutions aren’t required in the first place,” said Curran.
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An investment of at least £3.5bn is required over the next five years if NI Water is to address issues around drinking water quality and environmental pressures, a senior official in the government-owned company has said.
Appearing before a joint meeting of the Stormont Agriculture and Infrastructure committees, Gary Curran suggested that current funding of around £424m per year will do little more than maintain current provision. “Longstanding underinvestment in wastewater infrastructure has left NI with systems that are under capacity for today’s population, housing need, and environmental expectations,” he said.
In March, Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir confirmed his intention to seek agreement from the Stormont Executive to end a long-standing arrangement with NI Water known as a Statement of Regulatory Principles and Intent (SORPI).
The agreement means that NI Water doesn’t face immediate penalties for pollution incidents if upgrades are underway. It was put in place between the NI Environment Agency and NI Water when the company was formed in 2007 and recognised the fact the new entity was inheriting infrastructure in need to investment. At the meeting last Tuesday, Curran suggested that if the SORPI is removed now it won’t affect the amount of raw sewage being discharged into the likes of Belfast Lough. However, it could mean more prosecutions and more of the NI Water budget being spent on legal processes and fines.
“We would welcome the opportunity for SORPI to be removed if the conditions are correct. The biggest action that would help to mitigate [the impact of SORPI removal], is that if we are able to undertake the work required so that SORPI and prosecutions aren’t required in the first place,” said Curran.
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