New Bill to transform water and flood management in Northern Ireland

Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has announced plans to bring forward significant legislation aimed at modernising how Northern Ireland manages its water resources and responds to flooding.

Following Executive approval, the Water, Sustainable Drainage and Flood Management Bill will be introduced to the Northern Ireland Assembly as soon as possible. The legislation is designed to strengthen the region’s capacity to handle the growing challenges posed by climate change, including droughts and severe flooding.

Minister Kimmins highlighted the importance of the Bill in building resilience against extreme weather events, stating:

“In recent years we have seen warmer summers, milder winters and more frequent storms, all of this is a result of climate change. It is important that we have plans in place to better manage those periods of water shortages and high demand for treated water, and to enable improved flood management through sustainable drainage systems.”

Key measures in the Bill

The legislation introduces a range of new powers and policies that will directly affect water conservation, drainage design, and flood protection across Northern Ireland. Among the key provisions are:

• Expanded hosepipe ban powers for NI Water during droughts, going beyond the current restrictions on watering gardens and washing cars.

• Guidance on Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), enabling the Department to issue design, maintenance and adoption advice to promote environmentally responsible water flow management.

• Adoption of private drainage infrastructure (PDI) by NI Water, even for systems built before 1 October 1973.

• Compulsory repair of misconnections by landowners, with NI Water granted powers to enter premises if access is denied and recover costs from non-compliant owners.

• Registration of drainage agreements (Article 161) on the Statutory Charges Register.

• Flood protection grants, similar to the existing Homeowner Flood Protection Grant Scheme (HFPGS), to help property owners install protective modifications.

• New regulations on flood management and environmental impact assessments for drainage activities.

Minister Kimmins described the legislation as a critical component in safeguarding the region’s infrastructure:

“This Bill will provide NI Water with a power to implement further hosepipe restrictions to help conserve water in times of high demand or drought.

“It will also enable my Department to continue the Homeowner Flood Protection Grant Scheme, which will help eligible homeowners to modify their properties to make them more resilient to flooding.”

She added:

“This will help to improve the water quality of our rivers and loughs, enhance the performance of our sewerage systems, and provide electricity cost saving opportunities for pumping and treating wastewater.”

A sustainable future

The Department for Infrastructure aims for the Bill to serve as the foundation of a broader three-pronged approach to modernising water and wastewater infrastructure. This effort is designed to meet the demands of a growing population while adapting to shifting weather patterns.

“This legislation is a major step forward in helping us meet the challenges in how we manage, use and treat our water resources, future-proof the system, and get on a path to recovery from years of historic underinvestment,” the Minister concluded.