Water & Wastewater Treatment

20 | october 2014 | WWt | www.wwtonline.co.uk A section of pip- ing near Lisburn. Around 15km of the new 29km pipeline is being laid with 700mm epoxy-coated ductile iron pipe N I Water provides over 99% of the drinking water require- ments of Northern Ireland's 1.8 million consumers, achieving an overall standards compliance rating of 99.81% in the latest water quality report by the country's Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI). Undertaking the task of supplying Northern Ireland's drinking water is clearly a massive operation which involves maintaining more than 340 service reservoirs and 24 water treat- ment plants. There is also a national water pipeline network of some 26,700km to maintain, service and upgrade, a challenge which requires NI Water to constantly assess the need to replace and refurbish sections of their infra- structure in a drive to further improve supplies and quality. While, for example, the company's 99.81% compliance score earned a "this is overall good news" comment in July this year in the Foreward to the DWI report, mention also followed concerning the other 0.19%. The European Union Drinking Wa- ter Directive sets minimum standards that must be achieved, it is stated. This means that for the 0.19% where compliance was not achieved, it is mandatory that action is taken. While noting that such action var- ied according to whether the remedy was able to be dealt with immediately or not, the report stated there were Pipes and pipelines NI Water invests £14m in Belfast supply system situations in which "more substan- tive remedial action was needed that required funding and delivery through NI Water's business plans". Against this requirement for constant improvement, NI Water's cur- Project focus ● New 29km pipeline ● Major pumping station improvements ● trenchless crossings for M1 & belfast/Dublin railway Colin ley FreeLANce Writer ● Belfast has a current population of approximately 300,000 with substantial expansion potential over the next few years. The city's growth is constantly plac- ing new service and supply demands on ni Water. ● The company is also exposed to regular water quality reviews carried out by northern ireland's Drinking Water inspectorate. ● The new pipeline project, which will link the important supply source of Castor Bay to south lisburn, feeding into Belfast's trunk main, is therefore seen as a step which will provide a vital new source of water for the city, increasing ni Water's ability to meet peak period demands and equipping the network to cope with any emergency situations which may arise. • Drivers • Challenges ● Working in a busy city environment is an una- voidable aspect of most water pipeline projects, at least for part of the network. The demands attached to ni Water's 29km development are compounded by the need to cross six major road, rail and water barriers, a task to be met by the use of trenchless crossing technology. ● Faced with the need to avoid hindering city busi- nesses and commuters throughout the pipe- laying schedule, project leaders have committed to night-time working wherever feasible and to working with the public to ensure minimum dis- ruption throughout the year-long project

• Cover