An all-Ireland consortium comprising of Farrans, a joint venture between Tes and Celtic Anglian Water (Tes-Caw JV) and Aecom has been awarded a contract for early involvement in the upgrade of Northern Ireland (NI) Water’s assets.
NI Water has awarded its early contractor involvement contract for the upgrade of Kinnegar Wastewater Treatment Works and the construction of the new Sydenham Wastewater Pumping Station to the consortium.
Working collaboratively with NI Water and its project managers from RPS and AtkinsRéalis, the appointed team will attempt to develop innovative and sustainable solutions for the delivery of a modern new pumping station at Sydenham and the extensive upgrade of Kinnegar Wastewater Treatment Works on the edge of Holywood.
The upgrade of these assets are part of the NI Water’s Living With Water in Belfast Plan. This plan includes major upgrades to a total of five wastewater treatment works, Belfast, Kinnegar, Whitehouse, Carrickfergus and Greenisland. All these sites are within the vicinity of Belfast Lough.
Extensive network improvements are also planned for the projects.
If fully funded, NI Water hopes the upgrades will safeguard the future operation of the treatment plants, thereby supporting every aspect of day-to-day living. Furthermore, the upgrades will lead to improved water quality in the River Lagan and Belfast Lough and with increased capacity at each treatment works, new housing can be accommodated.
Northern Ireland infrastructure minister John O’Dowd, said: “I welcome this partnership which marks an important step in the development of these two strategic projects. These form an integral part of the Living with Water in Belfast Plan, which aims to deliver a long-term approach to drainage and wastewater management to help protect communities from flooding, provide a cleaner and greener environment and ensure the wider Belfast area remains open for business and investment.
“This work will help inform the design of the most effective and efficient solutions for these critical wastewater infrastructure assets.”
NI Water chief executive Sara Venning said: “NI Water is delighted to take a further step forward in its delivery of the ambitious Living With Water in Belfast Plan with the appointment of this specialist team for the extensive upgrade of Kinnegar and construction of the new Sydenham.
“These industry experts, who have many years’ experience in the water sector in Ireland and further afield, will work collaboratively under a contract with NI Water and our local project management consultants, RPS and AtkinsRéalis, as ‘One Team’ to develop forward-thinking, sustainable and robust solutions that will ensure these key NI Water assets can support a flourishing environment and growing economy for decades to come.
“As part of the important early contractor involvement phase, the One Team will progress the projects through the relevant planning processes and liaise with stakeholders on our proposals going forward.”
Speaking about the wider Living With Water in Belfast Plan and the strategic need for these upgrades, Venning continued: “Due to constraints in investment over the past 20 years, many parts of the wastewater and drainage infrastructure serving greater Belfast are now having to operate at or over their original design capacity. While NI Water has been working hard to ensure that current Northern Ireland Environment Agency standards can be met, the full implementation of the Living With Water in Belfast Plan is critical to ensuring a long-term solution to the city’s extensive wastewater needs.”
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