09/02/2004

Water Service unveils £100m Belfast Sewers Project

The Water Service today unveiled plans for a £100 million Belfast Sewers Project that will provide a modern sewerage system for 250,000 people in the Greater Belfast area.

Funded through the Reform and Reinvestment Initiative, the plans represent one of the biggest infrastructure investments in the city ever.

Katharine Bryan, Chief Executive of Water Service, said: "Many of the existing sewers in the Belfast area date from the Victorian era. This massive scheme will significantly improve the water quality in the Lagan and Blackstaff rivers, reduce the risk of flooding in the Belfast area and ensure compliance with stringent European Union environmental standards.

"The project will employ the best innovative, technological and environmental practices including the construction of a new 10.5 kilometre tunnel up to four metres in diameter, 19 kilometres of new sewers, 26 stormwater tanks and the repair of 800 sewers."

The entire project will take almost seven years to complete and work will start in late Spring 2004, with tunnelling work planned to start 18 months later.

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