17/11/2006
First underground water treatment facility opens
Regional Development Minister, David Cairns has today opened the award winning Fofanny Water Treatment Works – the only underground water treatment facility in Ireland.
The £18 million treatment works in the Mournes has been landscaped with local vegetation including over 10,000 native species of heather planted on the roof.
Commenting on the opening, the Minister said: “This innovative new treatment works has been designed to treat over 50 million litres of water a day. This will ensure that over 100,000 consumers across south Down and parts of Armagh served by this facility will receive the highest quality drinking water.
“This is just one example of the scale of investment required to improve water and sewerage infrastructure throughout Northern Ireland. For the five-year period up to 2007-08, some £1.1 billion of capital investment has been made available to upgrade the water and sewerage infrastructure - the challenge is to sustain this investment.
“The introduction of water and sewerage charges will allow this investment to take place to provide a better service for all.”
The Minister, along with two school children from St Malachy’s Primary School in Kilcoo, planted a tree to mark the completion of the extensive landscaping programme involving 6,550 trees.
Mr Cairns continued: “Water Service has successfully integrated what is essentially an industrial building into one of Northern Ireland’s most visited regions. The clever underground design allows Water Service to offer a high level of service without compromising on the beauty of the surrounding Mournes landscape.”
The new Fofanny facility is able to operate mainly by a gravity system, reducing the need for pumping. To maximise sustainability, a turbine has been installed into the building which creates green energy - 10% of that needed to run the entire plant.
(EF)
The £18 million treatment works in the Mournes has been landscaped with local vegetation including over 10,000 native species of heather planted on the roof.
Commenting on the opening, the Minister said: “This innovative new treatment works has been designed to treat over 50 million litres of water a day. This will ensure that over 100,000 consumers across south Down and parts of Armagh served by this facility will receive the highest quality drinking water.
“This is just one example of the scale of investment required to improve water and sewerage infrastructure throughout Northern Ireland. For the five-year period up to 2007-08, some £1.1 billion of capital investment has been made available to upgrade the water and sewerage infrastructure - the challenge is to sustain this investment.
“The introduction of water and sewerage charges will allow this investment to take place to provide a better service for all.”
The Minister, along with two school children from St Malachy’s Primary School in Kilcoo, planted a tree to mark the completion of the extensive landscaping programme involving 6,550 trees.
Mr Cairns continued: “Water Service has successfully integrated what is essentially an industrial building into one of Northern Ireland’s most visited regions. The clever underground design allows Water Service to offer a high level of service without compromising on the beauty of the surrounding Mournes landscape.”
The new Fofanny facility is able to operate mainly by a gravity system, reducing the need for pumping. To maximise sustainability, a turbine has been installed into the building which creates green energy - 10% of that needed to run the entire plant.
(EF)
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The Water Service has begun commissioning works on its £20m water treatment plant in Co Down. The largest water treatment facility to be built to date in Northern Ireland, the three-month commissioning period will involve rigorous testing of all the state-of-the-art systems at Drumaroad, near Castlewellan.
19 August 2002
Work begins on £20m Mourne water treatment works
Regional Development Minister Peter Robinson has helped to lay the foundations of the new £20 million Mourne Water Treatment Works at Drumaroad, near Castlewellan. It will be the largest Water Treatment Works to be constructed in Northern Ireland and will treat 155 million litres of water per day, supplied from the Silent Valley in the Mournes.
Work begins on £20m Mourne water treatment works
Regional Development Minister Peter Robinson has helped to lay the foundations of the new £20 million Mourne Water Treatment Works at Drumaroad, near Castlewellan. It will be the largest Water Treatment Works to be constructed in Northern Ireland and will treat 155 million litres of water per day, supplied from the Silent Valley in the Mournes.
01 August 2013
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Drinking Water Quality Remains 'High'
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03 December 2003
Water Service to invest £29m in Strabane
DRD Water Service’s £850,000 extension to Castletown Service Reservoir in Strabane, due to start next year, will form part of a £29 million capital works programme for the next five years.
Water Service to invest £29m in Strabane
DRD Water Service’s £850,000 extension to Castletown Service Reservoir in Strabane, due to start next year, will form part of a £29 million capital works programme for the next five years.
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A sunny but frosty start for many. However cloud increases by midday with a few showers reaching the north coast, these mostly light but spreading inland this afternoon. Chilly. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A rather cloudy evening with scattered showers. Becoming drier through the night with some good clear spells developing and a patchy frost away from coasts. Minimum temperature 0 °C.
