RSUA meets with NI Water representatives

20/03/2025

RSUA today met with representatives from NI Water (NIW) to discuss sustainable drainage and other issues connected to wastewater capacity constraints.

Those present from NIW were:

• Paul Honeyman: Project Manager – Wastewater Economic Capacity Constraints & Developer Services
• Nicola McCourt: Developer Services Customer Manager
• Davy McGrath: Head of Developer Services

This meeting marks the latest RSUA engagement on the issue of wastewater capacity constraints. You can read more about our work here.

Single Property SuDS Guide

In its draft guide, “Managing Rainfall Runoff from Individual Properties: A Sustainable Approach”, NIW recommends using Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) to reduce rainfall runoff entering public sewers. The document is aimed at homeowners, architects, engineers, and builders working on small-scale projects like home extensions or new builds.

NIW asked for RSUA’s feedback on the draft, and this was provided through a few selected members. The final guide is set to be issued later this month.

Single Property Standing Advice

A notable development within NIW is that it aims to clear its system of one-off single houses (using a standard six-bedroom residential property as the maximum) by applying new standing advice based on the principle of de minimis – that is, these developments will be considered too minor to warrant detailed consultation.

Important provisos include:

• All the SuDS draft guidance, as well as the standing advice, will initially apply only to properties within the Belfast City Council area. However, if successful, it will be rolled out across Northern Ireland.
• NIW has clarified that the standing advice will apply solely to clean new-builds and not to properties that have undergone a change of use.
• NIW is still awaiting final sign-off from Building Control on all the new proposals outlined in its draft guidance.

Blue/Green Infrastructure Refusal

Since the draft SuDS guidance primarily advocates for natural blue/green infrastructure to reduce rainfall runoff, RSUA highlighted a case involving a member who, in October 2023, proposed to offset stormwater from a development by converting a car parking space in an adjacent property into a flowerbed. This proposal was refused by NIW on the grounds that the rainwater in question would not fall on the roof of a building.

NIW expressed concern at this decision in our meeting, and RSUA will follow up with fuller details of the case.

General Case Management

NIW related that all cases are managed by the same team and processing procedures, except for developments comprising more than 50 units, which are outsourced to a separate team within the organisation.

They also stated that they are increasingly issuing outright refusals earlier in the application process, and that agents’ Wastewater Impact Assessment fees are being refunded in most (but not all) of these instances.

Additionally, NIW reported that it is developing a new data system, which will follow a process review of how its officers manage cases.

If you have any questions or comments about this meeting, please contact Curtis Large, RSUA Policy and Public Affairs Officer, at curtis@rsua.org.uk