Fofanny Water Treatment Works, constructed by Farrans (Construction) Ltd in 2005, epitomises innovation in design and construction as the only underground water treatment facility in the whole of Ireland.

Located in the heart of the Mourne Mountains in County Down, Fofanny treats up to 52 million litres of water a day from three nearby sources – Fofanny Dam, Spelga Dam and Lough Island Reavy – to serve over 100,000 customers.

The project’s ground-breaking design integrates what is essentially an industrial building into one of Northern Ireland’s most visited regions, without compromising the beauty of the surrounding landscape.

“Many of us take water for granted – we turn the tap and water comes out. Few people actually see the work and investment that goes into ensuring that the millions of litres of drinking water that Northern Ireland Water delivers every day is high quality and of reliable supply.” said NI Water's Paul Davison.

The facility operates mainly by a gravity system, reducing the need for expensive pumping. To maximise sustainability, a turbine was installed which creates green energy - 10% of that needed to run the entire plant.