NI Water is due to carry out upgrade work on the sewerage system on Queen Street, between Rainey Street and Queens Avenue, in early April. 

The essential work will build on previous improvements carried out by NI Water to strengthen the existing sewers in Magherafelt and has been programmed to be undertaken over the school Easter holidays in a bid to minimise disruption.

Due to the location of the required sewer repairs and the need to undertake the work by open-cut excavation, a single lane road closure will be required on Queen Street/Moneymore Road to manage the flow of traffic and complete the works as safely as possible.

Speaking about the work and the associated traffic management, Robert McLean, Senior Project Manager at NI Water said: “NI Water’s project team has carefully planned this work in a bid to minimise disruption to businesses, residents and motorists, including school traffic. The following traffic management arrangements have been agreed:

“Traffic approaching from The Three Spires Roundabout will be diverted onto Meeting Street, Ballyronan Road and A31 Magherafelt bypass, back onto Moneymore Road. Traffic approaching from Moneymore Road into Magherafelt will not be affected. 

The single lane closure will be implemented on Queen Street/Moneymore Road on the following dates. 

• 9.15am on Wednesday 5th April 2023 to 5pm Friday 7th April 2023 (continuously)

• 9.15am on Wednesday 12th April 2023 to 5pm Friday 14th April 2023 (continuously).

“Members of the project team have notified Translink and other local stakeholders and have visited businesses and service providers in the area to discuss vehicle access including deliveries etc. Pedestrian access will be available at all times in the area however there may be parking restrictions in place around working areas.

“NI Water and our project team from AECOM and GEDA appreciate the patience and cooperation from businesses, residents and road users while we undertake this essential work. This project will improve the condition of the existing sewerage system, reducing the likelihood of sewer collapses, blockages and out-of-sewer flooding.”

NI Water manages a network of 15,600km of sewers on a daily basis and we have spent billions investing in our water and wastewater infrastructure. However, no amount of investment will completely stop blocked pipes or inappropriate items polluting our environment. Items such as baby wipes and sanitary products are often the cause of out-of-sewer flooding, which can easily be avoided by only flushing the 3Ps: pee, poo and toilet paper; everything else needs to go in the bin. 

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For further information, please email press.office@niwater.com