Housebuilders in Northern Ireland may fund wastewater improvements

Housebuilders in Northern Ireland might have to contribute to a new wastewater infrastructure fund. This is part of a proposal from the infrastructure minister, Liz Kimmins, aimed at improving the region's outdated wastewater system. Northern Ireland's water system faces serious funding issues, which restricts development. Many towns and villages have wastewater systems that are overloaded. As a result, there are over 100 areas where no new connections can be made. This makes it difficult to build new homes and other projects. Kimmins mentioned that voluntary payments from developers could help, but they would not fix the problems alone. She called for significant upgrades to the sewerage systems, which will require billions of pounds and could take many years to complete. Currently, the Northern Ireland Executive does not support charging residents for water, unlike the rest of the UK. This is why the minister is considering charges for housebuilders instead. The proposed options could raise costs for developers, which might lead to higher home prices or deter some projects. Mark H Durkan, from the opposition party SDLP, acknowledged that developer contributions are important. However, he stressed that more urgent action is needed to address the wastewater crisis. He also highlighted the need for a thorough review of NI Water’s funding and governance, a step he believes the minister is avoiding.