Environment Minister seeks approval to end NI Water ‘licence to pollute’

Stormont’s Environment Minister has said he will end the “the licence to pollute granted to Northern Ireland Water” as he unveiled plans to strengthen enforcement around water pollution.

Andrew Muir told MLAs he will seek Executive approval to halt the arrangement with NI Water meaning it would be regulated like any other polluting body.

In a statement to the Assembly, Mr Muir outlined that Northern Ireland’s water environment is facing “mounting and unacceptable pressures” with more than 20 million tonnes of untreated sewage and wastewater spilling into waterways each year.

The Minister said: “Clearly this is not only an environmental issue. It affects public health, the economy and the confidence people have in the safety of the waters they use.”

In a statement to the Assembly, the Minister confirmed his proposal to the Executive for Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) to withdraw from the Sorpi (Statement of Regulatory Principles and Intent) administrative arrangement with NI Water.

“We need to end the licence to pollute granted to Northern Ireland water since its foundation in 2007 in the form of Sorpi,” he said.

“Anything we do must be fair, impartial, proportionate, and apply consistently across all sectors, public bodies, agriculture, private businesses and industry members.”

He added: “It is my view that withdrawal from Sorpi will deliver regulatory parity with no land water regulated on the same basis as other industries, including agriculture.

“Such a step would, I believe, drive environmental improvements and outcomes that support the delivery of the environmental improvement plan, which is particularly important given the scale of the nutrient pressures that wastewater infrastructure is causing.”

SDLP MLA and leader of the opposition Matthew O’Toole said water quality is one of “the most urgent and grave of priorities facing the Executive” and drew the comparison with Education Minister Paul Givan who announced widespread changes to exams on Tuesday.

“Are there measures you can be taking that you aren’t yet that don’t require Executive approval?” he asked the DAERA minister.

Mr Muir replied: “I don’t know whether you’re aware of the rules for Executive referral, but if it’s significant, controversial or cross cutting, it requires Executive referral.”

He added: “Where I seek Executive approval, I engage with my Executive colleagues in regards to this, the Alliance party has consistently and long before the SDLP ever decided to jump on the bandwagon, were supporting reform of the institutions, and will continue to do that and call for the UK Government to lead that process.”

Mr Muir also announced he will bring forward a Fisheries and Water Environment Bill in May 2026, “modernising enforcement powers, adopting an ecosystem based approach, increasing the maximum fine for water pollution to £50,000 and introducing fixed penalty notices”.

Plans were further announced to identify the Shellfish Water Protected Area in Belfast Lough as a sensitive area under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations, which would require enhanced treatment for wastewater discharges entering the Lough.

A review will also be undertaken to put in place new standards for discharge consents across Northern Ireland.