Northern Ireland Water has awarded two contracts worth a total of £55 million.

Northern Ireland Water has awarded a contract for sludge management services worth an estimated £25 million to Maghera-based firm TM Waste Ltd.

The contract covers the collection, transportation and discharge of liquid sludge from wastewater treatment works Thickening Centres/ Dewatering Centres ‘Reception Centres’. The Reception Centres are primarily managed by NI Water - however some are managed by Public Private Partnership ‘PPP’ Contractors.

It also includes the collection and transportation of WwTW sludge cake from the Reception Centres for incineration at ‘PPP’ managed sites.

The water company has awarded a separate contract for mechanical installation, repair and maintenance services worth an estimated £30 million to Belfast company FIN Maintenance Ltd.

The contract covers general mechanical installation including upgrades across all of NI Water's assets and equipment , including depots, pumping stations, industrial workshops, chemical stores and treatment works.

It also involves planned and reactive mechanical maintenance/ repair of assets and equipment including pumps, screening equipment, compressors and blowers, vacuum systems , mixers, macerators, valves and pipework.

NI Water requires a province wide delivery to any NI Water site under the contract – a condition of the contract required bidders to be able to to establish supply chain arrangements to achieve this.

The water company will also instruct other NI Water appointed contractors to use this service for NI Water related work at agreed prices under the contract.