In 2021, the Department for Infrastructure published Living With Water in Belfast, with the then Minister for Infrastructure warning that pressure is mounting on Northern Ireland’s (NI’s) ageing drainage and wastewater infrastructure following years of underinvestment.
This, combined with the impacts of climate change, the former Minister added, is “creating the perfect storm with potentially devastating circumstances.”
To deliver this plan and achieve its three core aims (protect against flooding, enhance the environment and grow the economy), a multi-agency initiative called the Living With Water Programme (LWWP) was established.
Led by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI), the LWWP brings together key stakeholders from across central and local government to develop a long-term approach for drainage and wastewater management for the Greater Belfast area.
These include NI Water, the Utility Regulator, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the NI Environment Agency, and Belfast City Council.
As a delivery partner, we have played a key part in shaping the 12-year programme and are supporting several projects for NI Water under the LWWP, which includes developing blue-green and nature-based solutions as well as traditional infrastructure schemes.
A recent example is our work on the £7 million Ravenhill Avenue Flood Alleviation project in South Belfast which successfully removed approximately nine hectares of stormwater (the equivalent of 12 football pitches) from the combined sewer network, alleviating pressure and reducing flood risk.
By increasing flood resilience, the LWWP will help make places across Greater Belfast safer and more liveable for current and future generations.
From source to sea: a holistic approach to addressing flood risk
The LWWP adopts a catchment-based and integrated approach to drainage and wastewater management, proposing measures to manage the flow of water through a catchment from source to sea – and setting out specific design principles to follow.
From utilising parklands and creating wetlands in urban areas to absorb and slow water flow, to reconnecting rivers to the natural floodplain, it offers practical and economical ways to mitigate flood risk and enhance local environments.
Given that many of the sewerage networks and wastewater treatment works across Belfast are already at or nearing capacity, significant investment is also required in more traditional “hard engineered” infrastructure like sewers, pumping stations and upgrades to wastewater treatment works. The programme therefore incorporates these measures alongside blue-green infrastructure.
What is AECOM’s role in the Living With Water Programme?
To manage the delivery of this ambitious programme, the plan area was divided into eight smaller catchment areas across Belfast that feed into Belfast Lough (a large, intertidal sea inlet on the east coast of Northern Ireland).
We have been appointed as a supply chain delivery partner to assist NI Water develop a wide-variety programme of infrastructure from inception to handover, which entails working in collaboration with Living With Water partners and a range of specialists to provide end-to-end professional service.
Our team is providing services for two of the largest catchments in the plan: Belfast North South West and Whitehouse. Specifically, we’re using our expertise to identify requirements and problem areas within and between catchments, working closely with the partners to integrate those needs into the programme.
To do this, we are conducting surveys and studies into factors such as topography and water quality and providing services spanning from cost management to environmental and ecological support.
Recognising the challenge of integrating a large group of consultants, clients and the public we championed the use of digital tools to improve the way various stakeholders engage with and participate in the programme.
Supporting Northern Ireland’s economic growth
As well as posing health risks, Belfast’s overwhelmed sewer and drainage infrastructure places constraints on future housing developments. This limits both the ability to build within the catchment and the potential for economic growth.
Plus, as the city’s population continues to grow – and with more intense rainfall events predicted – the drainage infrastructure will continue to come under increasing pressure.
Thanks to the LWWP, catchments across Belfast will be able to increase sewerage and drainage capacity through a combination of measures, including those that incorporate nature-based solutions.
Not only will this facilitate new development projects, but the economy will benefit as a result. Furthermore, by increasing flood resilience, the programme will help make places across Greater Belfast safer and more liveable for current and future generations.