Avish Water Pumping Station

The Carmoney to Strabane Strategic Trunk Main represents the completion of nine years of planning and construction, backed by a £17 Million investment from Northern Ireland Water. This major infrastructure project delivers a new strategic water main connecting Carmoney Water Treatment Works (WTW) in Eglinton to Castletown Service Reservoir (SR) in the Strabane area. Identified as a priority in both NI Water’s 2012 Water Resource Plan (WRP) and the 2017 Water Resource & Strategic Resilience Plan (WR&SRP), the project enhances connectivity between the Northern and Western resource zones. By establishing this vital link, the scheme addresses key infrastructure gaps, strengthens supply resilience, and supports the continued delivery of high-quality drinking water to the region.

The scheme was divided into three distinct phases, the first of which required the construction of a new pumping station at Carmoney WTW.

This replaced the existing water pumping station, which was over 25years old and equipped with MEICAT systems that have exceeded their operational life. This phase involved the complete demolition of the existing facility and the construction of a new, purpose-built water pumping station to supply both Avish Service Reservoirs, with onward pumping to Corrody Service Reservoir.

The station operates using three pump sets (Duty/assist/standby) and has a capacity of 17 million litres per day. In addition, the new installation includes a surge vessel, a new motor control center, and associated pipework at both the water pumping station and Avish Service Reservoirs.

To optimize operational expenditure (OPEX), the system also incorporates controls for managing high tariff and pre-high-tariff top ups, ensuring more efficient energy use during periods of peak demand. The new infrastructure delivers increased operational robustness and improved security of supply within the Northern Resource Zone.