NI Water scheme rewards farmers who reduce water pollution

Farmers operating in the Seagahan catchment in County Armagh are being offered funding to help protect drinking water supplies, retain valuable soil and nutrients, and improve farm sustainability.

Run by Northern Ireland Water, the Seagahan Farming for Water scheme will focus on reducing herbicide, nutrient and soil run-off from farmland into connected watercourses.

The funds will be used  to provide participating farmers with “free capital measures, tailored advice, farm visits and ongoing support”, with no requirement for match funding or any financial contribution.

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Depending on the individual farm setup, this could include money for pesticide storage units, pesticide/chemical spill kits, stock proof fencing along watercourses, and alternative stock drinking points.

NI Water says drinking water abstracted from Seagahan Reservoir needs to be treated to remove pollutants such as soil, nutrients and the herbicide MCPA, which wash in from surrounding land.

These pollutants are harmful to watercourses, costly to remove at treatment works, and can also represent a loss of valuable resources from farms, it says.

NI Water catchment officer Peter John Quinn said: “The scheme offers 100% funded services for landowners and farmers within the catchment, supporting improvements that make farm businesses more sustainable while also protecting water quality – a win‑win for everyone.”

So far some 23 farmers have registered for the scheme, which will begin in July 2026 and run for 12 months, with funding offered on a first come, first served basis.

Full eligibility requirements, application details and contact information are available on the NI Water website.