To ask the Minister for Infrastructure, pursuant to AQW 8335/17-22, to detail (i) the projected full cost of the wastewater upgrade works for Limavady; (ii) the works included in the potential £63,000 preparation works for the project; and (iii) the full works deemed necessary for the complete Limavady wastewater project.

I have been advised by Northern Ireland Water that:

The estimated full cost of investment in wastewater upgrades for Limavady during the PC21 period is £4.2 million. This investment will be subject to funding;

Preparation works will include surveys to confirm existing infrastructure; identify location of services; establish ground conditions; and engagement of contractors and consultant engineers to develop a detailed design that will deliver a best value solution; and

The Limavady work package is contained within NI Water’s £2 billion business plan for the period 2021 to 2027, known as Price Control 21 (PC21). The Utility Regulator will provide its Final Determination on NI Water’s business plan in March 2021. The full package of work identified for Limavady for the PC21 period is anticipated to fall into three areas:

Limavady Catchment Upgrade

Repair of sewers in the Edenmore Road area

New trunk sewers in Scroggy Road, Greyabbey Road, Edenmore Road, Ballyquin Road, Roe Valley Park, Benevenagh Drive, Shanreagh Park, Church Street and Blackburn Park

New pumps and additional storage at Whitehill Wastewater Pumping Station

Bovally Wastewater Pumping Station

Construction of a new pumping station with storage

Ballyclose Street Combined Storm Overflow

Provision of storage to protect watercourse from Unsatisfactory Intermittent Discharges

PC21 is subject to the appropriate public expenditure funding being made available to my department. The total funding required will be in the order of £2 billion. This compares to capital spend in the previous Price Control in the order of £940m, and demonstrates the scale of the challenge that we face in order to provide a first class water and sewerage services which enables health, development and economic growth.