Industry leaders, MLAs and key stakeholders gathered at Parliament Buildings on 1 July for the launch of a major new report warning that wastewater capacity constraints are now a critical brake on investment, housing and economic growth across Northern Ireland — with manufacturers among those bearing the cost.
The report, Wastewater Constraints and the Cost of Delay in Northern Ireland: An Economy with the Brakes On, was launched by the Wastewater Infrastructure Group and warns that if current constraints continue, Northern Ireland’s economy could be £10.9 billion smaller in annual GVA terms by 2040. Around 55,000 homes are currently impeded by wastewater capacity limits, and the knock-on effects extend well beyond housing — stalled schemes and delayed investment decisions are increasingly affecting manufacturers looking to expand, build new facilities, or bring sites online.
Manufacturing NI Chief Executive Stephen Kelly joined representatives from construction, housing, retail and the wider business community at the event, highlighting the growing impact of the constraints on job creation and investment decisions across the manufacturing sector. He was one of several industry voices pressing the point that solutions exist — what’s missing is the pace of political action to match the scale of the problem.
The event featured a cross-party panel with MLAs from all five main parties, chaired by NI Chamber’s Stuart Anderson, alongside modelling from OCO Global on the long-term cost of continued underinvestment and case studies from Turley showing how constraints are already delaying projects on the ground. The Minister for Infrastructure did not attend.
For manufacturers, the message is a familiar one: ageing infrastructure is becoming a live constraint on where and how businesses can grow. Manufacturing NI will continue to press for the delivery framework needed to match the scale of the challenge, alongside our partners across the Wastewater Infrastructure Group.