NI Water has a 25 year programme to improve water quality by identifying and replacing lead pipes within its infrastructure. The Lead Pipe Replacement (LPR) projects are street by street upgrade of individual premises water supply pipe typically in areas of previous high density communication pipes. Nuline Utilities are a resident contractor year PC15 Framework working with NI Water to replace an average of 1200 lead service pipes per annum.
The Design and Build Contracts are awarded subject to preparation of a bespoke Works Order (WO) Application process involving a high degree of preparation including:- notification, stakeholder management and safety, health, quality and environmental planning working in close partnership with NI Water’s Project Management Team. Five Works packages concentrating in East Belfast, each averaging 200 replacements were delivered in 2018 and 2019 in the Ravenscroft Avenue, Kirkliston Park, Willowholme, Orby Drive and Castledona Crescent areas of the city. Nuline Utilities approach to the work was to deploy a highly skilled ten person team delivering high productivity installation of 50 to 65 replacements per week, rapid commissioning and right on time permanent reinstatement and handover.
The programme continues and Nuline welcome inquiries from prospective clients across the UK and Ireland in relation to solutions to their Lead Pipe Replacement challenges.