New water works opens

Consumers are promised high quality drinking water

A £9.5m water treatment works, which is being hailed as a "significant development" has been officially opened in County Antrim.

The new Dorisland Water Treatment Works at Carrickfergus will serve 30,000 customers in that area as well as the Islandmagee, Newtownabbey and north Belfast areas.

A further £2.8m has been spent on a new pumping station and pipelines to ensure the safe transmission of water to customers.

The treatment works was opened by Regional Development Minister Peter Robinson.

He said the "significant investments" showed his commitment to ensuring "customers receive the highest quality drinking water".

Peter Robinson: Opened new works

He added: "The opening of the new works is another significant development of water supplies in Northern Ireland.

"It is a history which reflects the social and industrial development of the province and is one in which the Carrickfergus area has played an important part."

Mr Robinson said the construction of the new works presented a considerable challenge to the construction team and Water Service staff.

"Great care was taken in programming the work to ensure the continuity of water supplies to customers", he said.

Wooden pipes

The treatment capacity of the works is 50 megalitres of water per day.

Treatment is provided through the dissolved air flotation process, which is well proven and is widely used throughout the water industry.

It is being installed at several new water treatment works in Northern Ireland.

The minister pointed to the vast changes in water supply processes since the first piped water supply to Belfast was pumped through wooden pipes in 1678.

"It is critically important that the contribution of quality water and sewerage services to our economic and social well being is accorded greater priority," he said.

"Today's official opening of this £12.3m investment is an important step in providing the people of Northern Ireland with water and sewerage services that will meet their needs well into the future."