Dalriada Water favourite for water treatment PPP

Dalriada Water has been chosen as the selected bidder for the Alpha Public Private Partnerships (PPP) Project to upgrade water treatment facilities in Northern Ireland.

This project represents a capital investment of around £110m to upgrade the water treatment facilities that provide 50% of Northern Ireland’s water supply.

It will represent savings in excess of 25% from the preliminary capital estimates of £154m announced in June 2004. 

Regional development minister Shaun Woodward said: “This project will provide significant drinking water quality benefits to customers across Northern Ireland and provide the necessary infrastructure improvements to support new housing, commercial and industrial development. 

“Significant investment is required to upgrade water and wastewater infrastructure in Northern Ireland. Some £1.1bn has already been made available to upgrade the water and sewerage infrastructure in the five-year period to 2007/08.

“However we need up to £3bn over the next 20 years to protect public health, ensure cleaner beaches, safeguard the environment and respond to increasing demand. Without water and sewerage charges we cannot sustain this investment, unless we take money away from other priority public services,” he said.