Formerly an executive agency within Northern Ireland Executive, it became a government-owned company on 1 April 2007. The company now sits as an Agency within the Department of Infrastructure (DfI). The company provides 575 million litres of clean water a day for almost 1.8 million people as well as treating 340 million litres of wastewater every day, and has approximately 1,300 staff. It is responsible for 27,000 km of watermains and 16,000 km of sewerage mains, as well as 23 water treatment works and 1,030 wastewater treatment works. It cost around £460m each year to deliver water services across Northern Ireland.
Prior to 1973, water and sewerage services in Northern Ireland outside Belfast were the responsibility of local councils. Within the capital, the Belfast City and District Water Commissioners were responsible. In 1974, responsibility for providing these services was transferred to the Department of the Environment. Within the Department, a new Water Executive was responsible for the management and administration of water and sewerage services.[1]
Whilst water and sewer companies were privatised in England and Wales in 1989, these services remained public in Northern Ireland.
In 1996, the Water Executive became an executive agency and was rebranded as the Northern Ireland Water Service and, in 1999, responsibility for water transferred to the Department for Regional Development.
For decades domestic water and sewer services in Northern Ireland have been provided without charges to customers. Only non-residential customers received water bills and had water meters. However, in December 2002 it was announced that Northern Ireland's water and sewerage services would become self-financing. This was followed by two years of extensive consultations on water reforms, with the aim of introducing meters for new houses as well as water and sewer charges for all domestic customers.[2] The announcement of the establishment of a state-owned company was made by Minister of State John Spellar in August 2004. The water charges plan was included in the Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006, introduced by then secretary of state Peter Hain. In parallel, Northern Ireland Water Limited was created in April 2007. An anti-water charges campaign in 2007 resulted in the plans for water charges to be abandoned. Later, all major parties in Northern Ireland claimed to have had a leading role in the anti-water charges movement.[3]
In 2007 a system of economic regulation had been set up similar to the existing system in England and Wales where Ofwat regulates the water sector. The Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation was appointed to carry out this role. Performance benchmarking by the regulator showed that there was a "performance gap" with England and Wales concerning drinking water quality, wastewater quality, leakage, customer service and efficiency. This gap has now been more than halved. April 2017 marked the Company's first 10 years, in 2016/17 the Company reported record levels of wastewater compliance, with water quality compliance remaining a near record levels.
Structure
NI Water is a Government Owned Company (GoCo) – which is a statutory trading body owned by central government but operating under company legislation. This means that the Company's corporate governance structure and compliance is with the Companies Act 2006 and the principles of good corporate governance as set out in the UK Corporate Governance Code, where appropriate.
^Gould, Dr. M. H. (1 June 1981). "The Administrative Units Used for Water Supply Purposes in Northern Ireland from 1828". Royal Society of Health Journal. 101 (3): 119–122. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
^"Water Affordability under the Water Reform Proposals" (PDF). School of Sociology and Social Policy, Queen's University, Belfast. September 2005. p. 2. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
^"Water charges: North has lessons for campaigners". The Irish Times. 4 December 2014. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
External links
Official Website
March 03, 2023
northern, ireland, water, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, f. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Northern Ireland Water news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message Northern Ireland Water Limited Irish Uisce Thuaisceart Eireann Ulster Scots Norlin Airlan Watter is a water company in Northern Ireland Northern Ireland WaterTypePublic utilityIndustryWater industryFounded1 April 2007HeadquartersWestland House 40 Old Westland Road BelfastKey peopleSara Venning Chief Executive Websiteniwater wbr comFormerly an executive agency within Northern Ireland Executive it became a government owned company on 1 April 2007 The company now sits as an Agency within the Department of Infrastructure DfI The company provides 575 million litres of clean water a day for almost 1 8 million people as well as treating 340 million litres of wastewater every day and has approximately 1 300 staff It is responsible for 27 000 km of watermains and 16 000 km of sewerage mains as well as 23 water treatment works and 1 030 wastewater treatment works It cost around 460m each year to deliver water services across Northern Ireland Contents 1 History 2 Structure 3 Major reservoirs and treatment works 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory EditPrior to 1973 water and sewerage services in Northern Ireland outside Belfast were the responsibility of local councils Within the capital the Belfast City and District Water Commissioners were responsible In 1974 responsibility for providing these services was transferred to the Department of the Environment Within the Department a new Water Executive was responsible for the management and administration of water and sewerage services 1 Whilst water and sewer companies were privatised in England and Wales in 1989 these services remained public in Northern Ireland In 1996 the Water Executive became an executive agency and was rebranded as the Northern Ireland Water Service and in 1999 responsibility for water transferred to the Department for Regional Development For decades domestic water and sewer services in Northern Ireland have been provided without charges to customers Only non residential customers received water bills and had water meters However in December 2002 it was announced that Northern Ireland s water and sewerage services would become self financing This was followed by two years of extensive consultations on water reforms with the aim of introducing meters for new houses as well as water and sewer charges for all domestic customers 2 The announcement of the establishment of a state owned company was made by Minister of State John Spellar in August 2004 The water charges plan was included in the Water and Sewerage Services Northern Ireland Order 2006 introduced by then secretary of state Peter Hain In parallel Northern Ireland Water Limited was created in April 2007 An anti water charges campaign in 2007 resulted in the plans for water charges to be abandoned Later all major parties in Northern Ireland claimed to have had a leading role in the anti water charges movement 3 In 2007 a system of economic regulation had been set up similar to the existing system in England and Wales where Ofwat regulates the water sector The Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation was appointed to carry out this role Performance benchmarking by the regulator showed that there was a performance gap with England and Wales concerning drinking water quality wastewater quality leakage customer service and efficiency This gap has now been more than halved April 2017 marked the Company s first 10 years in 2016 17 the Company reported record levels of wastewater compliance with water quality compliance remaining a near record levels Structure EditNI Water is a Government Owned Company GoCo which is a statutory trading body owned by central government but operating under company legislation This means that the Company s corporate governance structure and compliance is with the Companies Act 2006 and the principles of good corporate governance as set out in the UK Corporate Governance Code where appropriate Major reservoirs and treatment works EditSilent Valley Reservoir Lough Neagh Ben Crom Reservoir Spelga Dam and Reservoir Dunore Point Drumaroad Water Treatment Works built as part of the Aquarius Mourne Water ProjectSee also EditList of Government departments and agencies in Northern IrelandReferences Edit Gould Dr M H 1 June 1981 The Administrative Units Used for Water Supply Purposes in Northern Ireland from 1828 Royal Society of Health Journal 101 3 119 122 Retrieved 26 February 2021 Water Affordability under the Water Reform Proposals PDF School of Sociology and Social Policy Queen s University Belfast September 2005 p 2 Retrieved 19 June 2016 Water charges North has lessons for campaigners The Irish Times 4 December 2014 Retrieved 19 June 2016 External links EditOfficial Website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Northern Ireland Water amp oldid 1124568304, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
