£220,000 investment in water quality projects

The not-for-profit organisations and Councils, will receive grants of between £5,000 and £30,000 from The Water Quality Improvement Strand of the Environment Fund for 2021- 2022. The fund aims to deliver on water quality priorities across Northern Ireland, preventing deterioration and enhancing the status of aquatic ecosystems.

Environment Minister Edwin Poots MLA made the announcement during a visit to one of the successful recipients, Six Mile Trust in Antrim. The Minister said: “Groups such as the Six Mile Trust are an invaluable component of our plans to improve water quality. I’ve seen today first-hand how far an investment of £13,000 from this initiative can go towards improving the environment with regards to projects like this. The Trust works tirelessly and passionately to ensure the water quality in the Six Mile Water improves.”

The Minister continued: “The Trust monitors water quality, participates in pollution prevention and is well placed to build relationships within the catchment to bring about schemes such as this. Such groups are the eyes and ears of the river bank and pick up on issues and opportunities to improve water quality. A close working relationship with my Department is of mutual benefit, as we both strive to improve water quality in the Six Mile Water and Northern Ireland as a whole.”

Concluding, Minister Poots said: “Since I became DAERA Minister, I have seen the value of the daily work carried out by groups like this and welcome both the level of partnership-working and the enthusiasm of volunteers. I can’t praise them enough for their conservation efforts.”

Successful recipients of the grants are as follows:

Six Mile Water Trust - River restoration of bank, habitat and fencing project on the Six Mile Water.

Ballinderry Rivers Trust - Naturally Clean - Nature-based on-farm grey water management system.

Sea2it - Community Skills to Tackle Pollution on the Bann Estuary.

Altikeeragh Bog, Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council - Hydrological Restoration Plan

Creggan Country Park - Restoring the Res Phase 2

Friends of the Folly - River bank and habitat restoration project, Ballynahone River (Folly Glen)

Glenavy Anglers - Love our water - Love our Fish Project Phase II

Newry and Mourne and Down District Council - Water Resource Management Programme for the Ring of Gullion

Lagan Rivers Trust - River restoration project on the River Lagan

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council - Water Quality Improvement feasibility and ecological studies for various Council sites

Dromore and District Angling Club - River Habitat Improvement River Lagan