To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail (i) the cause of the sewage spill in Castle Park, Bangor, on 22 October 2024; and (ii) the steps his Department will take to address it.

The management of public wastewater infrastructure is an operational matter for NI Water.

However, I have sought the requested information from NI Water and have been advised that:

NI Water was made aware of a sewage leak in Castle Park, Bangor on Tuesday 22nd October 2024. A thorough investigation took place immediately and a major blockage was discovered on a sewer which had been caused by a considerable amount of inappropriate materials and resulted in out of sewer flooding surcharging from a manhole out to Valentines playing fields. NI Water teams were deployed immediately to clear the blockage on the 22 October and remained on site on 23 October 2024 with a jetvac, mini excavator and three field crews to clean up the extensive area affected. NI Water also instructed its contractor to attend with a digger to help with the clean-up, including scraping the area.

NI Water will respond to blockages as required. On this occasion non sewer related debris has entered the system and caused the problem. No amount of investment in our sewers will stop out of sewer flooding if blockages caused by inappropriate materials occur.

For any future queries relating to operational matters, you should contact NI Water directly, through the Elected Representatives Hotline on 0345 300 6461 or through waterline@niwater.com

Making direct contact with NI Water will ensure that you receive the information in the shortest possible timeframe and make best use of limited public resources.