Bill McKendry, spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Conservatives, has criticised the “ongoing shambles” at Northern Ireland Water, as winter approaches
“The strategy for an uninterrupted water supply this year appears to be twofold”, Bill remarked. “On one hand the minister for regional development has to beg NIW’s managing director not to resign and on the other hand the executive has to pray that there is not another ‘big freeze’ like last winter.”
“That’s simply not good enough. The former minister, Conor Murphy, left his successor a horrible mess, but there needs to be much more rapid progress to sort out years of neglect and bad governance.”
“When Northern Ireland Water was turned into a state company, it was supposed to become more efficient, but devolution has dragged the service back. As a quasi-independent body, NIW has to contend with an ever changing array of directors, as well as the whims of politicians and interfering civil servants. All this against a backdrop of historic underinvestment and a failure to make a decision on water charges.”
“The results have been predictably dire. Yearly fines from the ECJ for inadequate sewerage facilities, an overloaded system, chaotic corporate governance and then last year’s complete break-down in service.”
“We need to look immediately at instigating water charges and we need to seriously consider privatising NIW, or at least securing its complete independence with a professional independent board and management team. Otherwise an under-performing system will continue to disrupt everyone’s lives and money will continue to pour down the drain.”