NI Water and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency are advising property owners to verify their drain connections. NIEA investigations show many homes route wastewater from toilets, showers and washing machines to surface water drains instead of sewers. This practice pollutes streams, rivers and beaches.

Angela Halpenny, Head of Environmental Regulation at NI Water, states that homes built after 1970 typically separate wastewater sewers from surface water drains that lead to rivers or beaches. She notes misconnections happen during appliance installation, property extensions, renovations or initial construction. Gutters and gullies wrongly linked can also direct rainwater to wastewater pipes and cause issues.

Halpenny adds that property owners must maintain pipework from inside homes to the public sewer junction. NI Water and NIEA collaborate to locate and fix these problems across Northern Ireland.

Kevin McGrady, Emergency Pollution Officer with DAERA NIEA, says owners often do not know if their systems connect correctly. He explains wastewater carries sewage and nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen. Released into storm sewers, it harms water quality in rivers, lakes and coasts including Lough Neagh, and affects bathing and shellfish areas.

McGrady indicates NIEA logs misconnections as pollution events and notifies NI Water for repairs. The agencies call for checks of indoor and outdoor connections to avoid direct discharges into waterways.

Reports of water pollution in Northern Ireland can go to the NIEA Incident Hotline at 0800 807060 or email emergency-pollution@daera-ni.gov.uk for less urgent matters.