NI Water attended Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council on Tuesday to provide members with an update on the steps that have been taken to ensure that oil exploratory drilling work by Infrastrata at Woodburn Forest poses no threat to the water supply to the public.

Earlier this year the water company agreed to lease a small portion of Woodburn Forest near Carrickfergus for the drilling of an exploratory oil well.  The work is being undertaken by Infrastrata, under a licence awarded by the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment (DETI).  All work is subject to the approval and agreement of the planning authorities, DETI and Forest Service.  Infrastrata cannot drill a permanent well without obtaining planning permission.

NI Water has included a clause in the Agreement with Infrastrata that prohibits using the technique known as hydraulic fracturing (fracking), both now and in the future.

Addressing the Council, NI Water officials told councillors that:

“The security and safety of the public water supply is NI Water’s top priority.  The company would not carry out or permit any activity which would jeopardise the quality of the water delivered to our customers.”

“All requests for activities within the catchment area which we own are assessed to ensure there will be no residual risk to the drinking water supply.”

“We have carried out a detailed analysis of the risks to the public water supply in the Dorisland Catchment.”

There are 6 impounding reservoirs which hold water before it flows to Dorisland impounding reservoir, prior to entering the treatment works. The exploratory drill site has been taken out of the catchment area by taking 2 raw water reservoirs, the Woodburn South reservoirs, out of the supply catchment.

As a precaution and to assist with allying public fears, the water company has put increased monitoring of raw water in place at all reservoirs and at the treatment works (with automatic shutdown).

NI Water officials told Council members:

“The safeguarding of water quality is of primary importance to NI Water, and the company is satisfied that the proposed work will have no detrimental impact upon the impounding reservoir or the public water supply.“