Visitors '˜flow' to Lough Fea plant

Pupils from Cookstown high school, at the Water Treatments works at Cookstown.

Held as part of the company’s Decade of Delivery events, visitors saw first-hand how NI Water supplies 560 million litres of high quality drinking water every single day.

CEO, Sara Venning, reflected on the company’s progress “April 2017 marks a decade of delivery for NI Water, and to acknowledge the role the company plays in Northern Ireland, the local community was invited to come and take a peek inside the water treatment works.”

Maynard Cousley, Water Supply Manager at NI Water commented on the activities of the day.

“Representatives from the community were all given a tour of the works where they learned the history of the site and what it takes to operate it on a daily basis,” he said.

“With 24 Water Treatment Works across NI, it is not just as simple as taking water from a reservoir and sending it down the mains to the tap; there is a very important and often complicated process in between to treat the water to ensure it is of the highest quality.

“Water treatment at Lough Fea has been carried out since 1965 and delivers over 10 million litres of water per day. The plant serves customers in Cookstown, Draperstown, Dromore, Coagh, Moneymore, Pomeroy and Dungannon town.

“Legend has it that there was once a road across Lough Fea and a local man called Charlie was loading stones from one side of the road to another and that one day, the horse fell into the lake where both the man and the horse drowned. All that remained was a pile of stones. Folklore names this place as ‘Charlie’s Ghost’ and to this day you can still see the pile of stones from the shoreline.

“The services NI Water provides are at the very core of the economy, health and environment of Northern Ireland. We are proud to share this with the community and show them how they also have a role to play in the work we do, by conserving water and respecting the environment.

“I would also like to thank the NI Water staff for their enthusiasm and commitment to the work that they do. Our people are talented, dedicated, and at the heart of the communities they serve. After ten years operating as NI Water, it is a good time to reflect on the role the company plays in the community.”