NI Water has finished constructing a modern pumping station to serve a growing local population and enhance environmental safeguards for the River Faughan.

The project, valued at more than £1 million, takes the place of an outdated station located behind a residential property which was nearing the end of its operational life.

Speaking about the upgrade, David McClean, NI Water Senior Project Manager, said: "Investments like this are fundamental to ensuring that our wastewater network continues to meet the needs of the communities it serves, both now and into the future.

"The new pumping station – constructed on lands previously owned by Housing Executive – has been designed with the future in mind, providing greater capacity to cope with periods of heavy rainfall while supporting the area's continued growth. It features a significantly larger underground storage tank, including dedicated stormwater storage to help protect the local environment. The station is also equipped with modern remote monitoring technology, enabling operators to quickly identify and respond to any issues, helping to keep the wastewater network running efficiently. "The new Faughan Crescent WwPS is a huge improvement on the existing facility and has allowed the removal of an ageing asset close to a residential property. Together with improvements to the local sewerage network, this NI Water investment has delivered greater capacity, resilience and reliability for local residents while providing the infrastructure needed to support planned growth in the Drumahoe area.

"NI Water and our project team from BSG Civil Engineering and AECOM are grateful for the support of Housing Executive and Derry City & Strabane District Council and all our stakeholders in the planning of these works and thank local residents for their patience and cooperation throughout the construction period."

The Faughan Crescent scheme is one element of a broader multi-million-pound programme in Derry/Londonderry, which also includes a new wastewater pumping station and pipelines at Lenamore and Skeoge, relining of the Culmore Trunk Sewer, and the installation of new pipes beneath the River Foyle at Strathfoyle.

NI Water says the overall investment will strengthen the resilience of the wastewater network for years to come and underpin economic development across the city.