To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail any (i) evidence; or (ii) proposals, NI Water has submitted to her Department on mitigating water pollution in Belfast Lough.

I regularly engage with NI Water on key issues, including in respect of improving water quality in Belfast Lough. At my most recent meeting with the Chair and Chief Executive of NI Water on 14th January of this year, I asked NI Water to outline as part of its Operating Plan and Budget for 2026/27 how projects that were originally included in the Living With Water Programme (LWWP) for Belfast could be progressed over the coming years. This detail has been factored into NI Water’s budget and planning submissions for the coming year. Progress on these projects will be subject to budget availability and I will continue to work with Executive colleagues to ensure appropriate investment for NI Water going forward.

The LWWP was designed in part to help address water quality and pollution issues affecting Belfast Lough. Due to an increase over 50% in NI Water’s estimated costs to deliver its elements of the programme, following an affordability review the LWWP Belfast Plan projects were incorporated into normal business planning to be delivered at a scale and pace achievable within available budgets.

In April 2026 NI Water submitted proposals to deliver elements of the LWWP Belfast Plan as part of its Outline Capital Submission for the next Price Control period, PC28 (2028/29 – 2032/33). This includes investments of approximately £193m of in wastewater treatment works surrounding Belfast Lough and approximately £110m of smaller wastewater network upgrades in the LWWP Belfast Plan catchment. NI Water have advised that substantial further investment will be required to deliver all elements of the LWWP Belfast Plan and to improve water quality in Belfast Lough.