NI Water takes the lead on €32 million PEACEPLUS project to tackle water pollution
13 December 2024 11:06
NI Water is set to take the lead in a strategic partnership with Uisce Éireann on a €32m programme of work that will tackle water pollution in Counties Fermanagh, Tyrone, Leitrim, Sligo, Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal.
The cross-border project known as WEST (Water Enhancements through Sustainable Treatment) is supported by the PEACEPLUS Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). It will see NI Water working in partnership with Uisce Éireann to improve water quality in Lough Erne, Lough Melvin, and Donegal Bay – areas of the North-Western International River Basin District which face water quality issues from agriculture, forestry, urban runoff, and urban wastewater treatment discharges.
Through WEST, NI Water and Uisce Éireann will work collaboratively to identify where investment should be made to address pollution, regardless of origin. Outputs from the WEST project will include the development of two strategies and action plans using robust catchment modelling and sustainable treatment solutions, for acceptance by environmental regulators on both sides of the border.
At the heart of the project will be four capital wastewater treatment upgrades within Northern Ireland (Belleek and Garrison) and Ireland (Ballybay and Blacklion), to provide improved treatment for at least 5,000 people, with treatment capacity for an additional 1,000.
Beneficiaries of these efforts include environmental regulators, residents, tourists, the mariculture industry, anglers, surfers, councils, and non-governmental organisations.
The project will be funded under the Water Quality Improvement Programme investment area of the PEACEPLUS programme. This enables a collaborative cross-border approach to the management and improvement of water quality to address the requirements of the Water Framework Directive in selected water bodies.
Minister for Infrastructure John O’Dowd said: “I welcome the confirmation of funding for this innovative project which builds on the excellent north-south collaborative working already in place. The funding includes capital upgrades at both the Belleek and Garrison sites using new wastewater treatment processes which will benefit the border communities by improving water quality in Lough Erne, Lough Melvin and Donegal Bay.
“Protecting our water courses, investing, and developing robust catchment modelling and sustainable treatment solutions for our water and sewerage systems, will play an important part in enhancing our environment and ensuring it is equipped for the future. As we tackle the ongoing climate emergency it is more important than ever that we embrace these innovative and sustainable ways of reducing our carbon footprint.”
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD said:
“Communities North and South will greatly benefit from the funding for this important and innovative investment in water quality and wastewater capacity. This joint submission for the PEACEPLUS project is a great example of strong collaborative work between Uisce Éireann and NI Water.”
The WEST project follows on from the success of previous NI Water-led EU-funded initiatives – including the SWELL and Source to Tap projects – which saw NI Water and Uisce Éireann work in partnership to deliver water quality improvements on both sides of the border.
Welcoming the funding announcement by SEUPB, Tzvetelina Bogoina, NI Water’s Director of Infrastructure Delivery, commented: “NI Water is delighted to continue its collaboration with Uisce Éireann and build on the work of previous EU-funded schemes. This allocation of €32m from the PEACEPLUS fund will deliver further cross-border water quality improvements.
"This significant investment will enable both water companies to drive forward innovative thinking in nature-based solutions to deliver the sustainable upgrade of four wastewater treatment works. It will also provide an extensive programme of strategic modelling work to benefit communities in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
“NI Water is committed to putting nature at the heart of our decision making to drive the most optimal solutions for climate and biodiversity. The sustainable wastewater treatment upgrades being provided through the WEST project will provide a boost to rural border areas, providing the necessary infrastructure to support growth and provide a flourishing environment.”
Stephen Seymour, Head of Asset Management, Uisce Éireann said: “Uisce Éireann is looking forward to continuing to work with NI Water to develop sustainable infrastructure that will protect and enhance the environment and eliminate water pollution associated with the four wastewater treatment plants at Ballybay and Blacklion in Ireland and Belleek and Garrison in Northern Ireland.
“The PEACEPLUS project fosters collaborative working opportunities which enable UÉ and NI Water to develop and implement the most environmentally focused, technically and economically beneficial solutions to meet the long-term wastewater treatment needs to improve the water quality in Lough Erne, Lough Melvin and Donegal Bay.
“The €32 million programme of work will protect public health, safeguard the environment and facilitate sustainable growth in the communities in Fermanagh, Tyrone, Leitrim, Sligo, Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal. When completed the project will have delivered state of the art wastewater treatment plants that will protect marine life, restore and enhance biodiversity, support social and economic development for the communities that live in the areas and those that visit these scenic areas.”
SEUPB Chief Executive Gina McIntyre said: “Our natural environment is one of our most important assets and continued enhancement and protection is critical to future economic and social development. A clean, green and accessible environment makes a major contribution to people having long, active, healthy lives as well as creating a place where people want to live, visit and invest. With environmental pressures going beyond borders, the innovative WEST project considers the entire catchment as a single ecosystem, aiming
to promote a greener, lower-carbon environment and decrease threats to local natural habitats.
“Underpinned by a strong collaborative approach, the project will introduce unique cross-border catchment models and strategies which, although common in Europe, have never before been trialled on this scale on the island of Ireland.”
She added: “We are delighted the PEACEPLUS programme continues to deliver transformational funding at pace, with almost 65% of the programme budget already allocated.
“The response to our funding calls to date has been significant, demonstrating the real need and appetite for the investment targeting the various key investment areas.”
PEACEPLUS is co-funded by the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland, and the Northern Ireland Executive.
Through the INTERREG VA programme – a predecessor of PEACEPLUS – a total of more than €55m investment was delivered on water quality improvement projects. These included the Catchment Care, System for Water Quality Monitoring (SWIM), Shared Waters Enhancement and Loughs Legacy (SWELL) and Source to Tap projects.
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Notes to editors
· The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) is a North South Body with the statutory remit for managing EU funding programmes within Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.
· PEACEPLUS is a cross-border funding Programme designed to support peace and prosperity across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.
· The total value of PEACEPLUS is €1.14bn.
· PEACEPLUS is co-funded by the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland, and the Northern Ireland Executive.
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For further information, please email press.office@niwater.com