AQW 53420/22-27

Ms Connie Egan
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 30/09/2026
Answered On Date: 05/10/2026
Priority Written: Yes

Question:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for an update on the roll out of (i) event duration monitors; and (ii) near real time reporting, in North Down.

Answer:

Northern Ireland Water (NIW) has 2,433 storm overflows, with 800 Event Duration Monitors (EDMs) installed to date across their wastewater network, which prioritise bathing waters, shellfish waters, Lough Neagh and other sensitive waters. Details on the locations of all installed EDMs, including those in North Down, can be viewed on NIW’s online map viewer at: www.niwater.com/storm/overflow/

My department and NIW are developing an EDM Viewer for bathing waters, initially at Ballyholme and Newcastle, using near real-time data to show storm overflow activity. Subject to successful testing, a public-facing platform is expected ahead of the 2027 bathing season.