Watch: construction of large storm water storage tank continues in Carrick school grounds

(L-R) NI Water’s David McClean with Paddy O’Boyle, and Sangeetha Iyyappan, both AG Wilson, assessing progress on site. Photo submitted

NI Water is advising an essential sewer improvement scheme at St Nicholas’s Primary School, Carrickergus, is expected to be completed by the end of August.

Part of the Living With Water programme, the project involves the construction of a large storm water storage tank in the school grounds that will reduce the number of storm overflow spills, as well as a screen that will reduce pollution, by removing solid waste, such as wet wipes.

David McClean, NI Water senior project manager, said: “We are pleased to be delivering this essential improvement scheme at Minorca Place, Carrickfergus.

"This project is part of a wider programme of works, that will deliver environmental improvements and has already seen a major upgrade to Lower Woodburn Wastewater Pumping Station (WwPS), as well as other local network upgrades such as work coming up on the Belfast Road, which will help reduce the risk of out-of-sewer flooding and improve the water quality in Belfast Lough.

“We appreciate that work of this nature can be disruptive and would like to thank the school community for their continued patience and cooperation while we have been working in the school grounds, which has avoided disruption on busy nearby roads.

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"Our project team, including contractor AG Wilson and Tetra Tech will strive to keep disruption to a minimum and aim to have work completed in the school grounds by the end of August.”

In a statement, NI Water added that its project team has engaged with the school community and appreciates the co-operation of the wider public in ensuring that children do not play in or around any site or machinery.

"Working areas will have warning signs in place to protect the public from any hazards. The public are advised to stay out of these working areas for their own safety."

Meanwhile, NI Water is also due to commence work at the end of June to lay a new sewer on the Belfast Road, Carrickfergus. The installation, which will be carried out in three phases, forms part of a programme of measures that will create additional capacity in the sewer network to help support local development.