Smith renews calls for water charges

NIO Minister Angela Smith has restated the need for a "self-financing" Water Service whilst on a visit to the Tullaghgarley Wastewater Treatment Works near Ballymena today.

Mrs Smith made her comments after turning the first sod at the extension to the £10.6 million water treatment scheme – which began in 1994.

She said: “By its very nature, the water industry must be able to plan with certainty over the long term. To do this, the water industry needs to be able to rely on a secure and reliable revenue stream to fund investment. As both Ian Pearson and I are on record as saying over recent weeks, this points to the need for water and sewerage services to become fully self-financing.

“This means that if we are to deliver the investment programme that is required, we will have to look to Northern Ireland consumers to contribute directly to the cost of water and sewerage services.”

The scheme is expected to considerably extend the treatment capacity of the Tullaghgarley Works and will ensure the facility can deal with the future development needs for Ballymena, and the villages of Ahoghill, Broughshane, Cullybackey, Kells and Connor for the next 20 years. And according to the Department of Regional Development, around £3 billion must be invested in key services over the next 20 years to comply with European Directives on Water Quality, and safeguard public health and replace ageing infrastructure.

Mrs Smith paid tribute to the work of Water Service staff and said that investment in the water and sewerage network "is essential" if staff are to be given the necessary tools to deliver a high quality service to customers.

She said: “I have been greatly impressed by the professionalism and dedication of Water Service staff who continue to deliver services to over 1.7 million people across Northern Ireland against a backdrop of historic under-investment and ageing water and sewerage infrastructure.

“Investment such as the extension for Tullaghgarley Works is the key to giving staff the tools to continue to perform this important public role and I am delighted to help launch the construction work here today.”

The Minister said also she would be making the case for further water and sewerage investment, alongside all the other demands in the forthcoming Northern Ireland Budget when it is announced in December.

(GMcG)