To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail any actions she is taking to ensure NI Water is given clear direction to prioritise investment into closed catchment areas, where no new connections are currently permitted during PC21, as outlined in NI Water's wastewater system capacity information.

The prioritisation of investment in water and wastewater infrastructure is a matter for NI Water, however I can advise that the company prioritises its investments by focusing on the operational requirement to operate, maintain and enhance water and wastewater services to address the most urgent risks to public health, environmental compliance, and economic growth, within the approved budget allocation.

Specific capital investment needs are defined are part of the Utility Regulator’s Price Control. The Price Control is a structured regulatory process that identifies what investment is needed, what it will deliver, and what level of expenditure is considered efficient. The Regulator ultimately decides which capital outputs NI Water is funded to deliver, based on statutory obligations, customer priorities, and affordability.

In terms of addressing the issues with connecting to the wastewater network, since October 2024 my department has allocated over £30m of capital funding for wastewater infrastructure, which has unlocked wastewater capacity for over 5,300 homes across the North. This is above the 4,500 which NI Water had initially stated they could connect if fully funded in PC21, and it is only 2026.