Clare Water Treatment Gets €3.6m Boost

A €3.6m boost to County Clare's Rural Water Programme has been lauded as a complementary component to ongoing efforts to improve supply in the region.

Local TD Tony Killeen said the grant would fund a wide range of schemes all over the county, which have been earmarked for improvement works under the council's work programme for 2009.

He said that the decrease on financial aid allocated during 2008 was explained by the significant upgrading works and construction projects that have already been undertaken and, in some cases, completed.


"This year's allocations are a well balanced package that will effectively drive forward the Action Plan to guarantee top quality drinking water supplies for all rural consumers and communities across Clare," said Mr Killeen.

The single biggest allocation of €1.9m is for the provision of new treatment facilities for Group Water Schemes (GWS) around Clare.

Elsewhere, €675,000 is being provided for Small Public Water and Sewerage Schemes; €480,000 for the takeover of GWS by Clare Local Authorities; €360,000 for GWS Network upgrading works; €160,000 for new GWS; and €36,000 for minor works on GWS Awaiting Substantial Upgrading.

Mr Killeen said a top priority in 2009 must be addressing water quality problems in the county's privately sourced group water supplies.

The Rural Water Programme is funded under the National Development Plan 2007 - 2013.

(PR/JM)