To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail the amount NI Water has spent as a direct result of fires on its land in each of the last ten years.

The spend associated with fires on NI Water land is an operational matter for NI Water; however, I have requested this information and NI Water has confirmed that the overall spend on the protection of the Mournes Drinking Water Protected Area (DWPA) is £660,000 over the last ten years. This includes risk assessment and risk mitigation for the four key elements of drinking water i.e. drinking water catchment area protection, drinking water treatment, distribution system (including pipework and Service Reservoirs) and the customer tap.

The element of that spend which is wholly and directly relating to the prevention of wildfires in the catchment area is not readily available and therefore I have asked NI Water to write to you further, when this information is clarified.

For any future queries relating to operational matters, you should contact NI Water directly, through the Elected Representatives Hotline on 0345 300 6461 or through waterline@niwater.com . Making direct contact with NI Water will ensure that you receive the information in the shortest possible timeframe and make best use of limited public resources.