Roscommon County Council is to receive over €600,000 under the Rural Water Programme while Galway is to receive €2.6m local Minister Denis Naughten has confirmed.
“The funding is being provided to the Councils under the Department of Housing, Planning, Community & Local Government’s Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme 2016-2018,” explained Minister Naughten. “Administration of the funding will then be the responsibility of the local authorities but is aimed at improving water quality in existing group water schemes as well as the takeover of some schemes by Irish Water and upgrading and conservation works in group water scheme distribution networks.
“Included in the allocation is €0.5m to improve safety of group water schemes in Roscommon and Galway by removing trihalomethanes (TTHMs) from some waters supplies. Roscommon County Council is to receive €300,000 and Galway County Council is to receive over €200,000 which will take these chemicals out of the water supply, which may be associated with cancer after long term exposure to such water supplies.
“This scheme is important as it also provides funding towards new group water and sewerage schemes which are vital for rural households.”
The basis for the 2016 funding has been on existing commitments, “shovel-ready” projects and with priority given to water quality compliance.