5 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Multi-Million euro investment to improve water quality in Mayo
The programme aims to improve water infrastructure across rural Group Water Schemes (GWS). 20 GWS across Mayo will benefit from the funding, which is the largest Government investment to date for water services in the county.
The funding will support a range of projects in Mayo, including source protection measures, water treatment upgrades, leakage reduction and prevention, new community water connections, as well as the formal taking-in-charge of four Group Water Schemes and Group Sewerage Schemes in Mayo.
€2.89m was granted to Callow Lake GWS for water conservation and leakage reduction. Cllr Neil Cruise from Foxford spoke to the Irish Independent and welcomed the funding. He mentioned there is a lot of pipe work that needs to be replaced due to ongoing leakage issues,
'This news is wonderful for the greater east Mayo area, this is funding that is hugely required. It is very welcomed news to help solve the ongoing issues, make things better for the environment, and protect the water.'
Cllr Cruise made a motion at the last Mayo County Council meeting to develop a LIFE project in the Pontoon area, to help preserve water quality in Lough Conn and Lough Cullin, similar to the ongoing LIFE project in Lough Carra.
Lough Carra GWS also received €1.2m to improve water efficiency and reduce losses. Cllr Donna Sheridan from Castlebar said that today's announcement is great news for communities in the Castlebar Municipal District.
'It is so important that we protect our water sources and ensure the highest standards in our water treatment. We must ensure that communities across Castlebar Municipal District have the benefit of high water infrastructure and water services,
'This funding, and the completion of these projects, will allow GWS to continue to improve the quality, quantity, and reliability of the water services across Mayo.'
Over €7.5m has been allocated to support the taking-in-charge of dozens of group water and sewage schemes across the county, to help ensure long-term sustainability and public oversight.
Minister of State, Alan Dillion TD, welcomed the significant investment saying: 'This vital funding will support the development and maintenance of essential water and sanitation services, ensuring that rural households have access to clean, safe, and reliable drinking water,
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'The Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme is not only about improving quality of life, it also supports economic activities such as agriculture, livestock farming, and tourism, all of which depend on reliable water resources,
'This is one of the most significant investments in rural water infrastructure ever seen in Mayo. It will directly benefit thousands of households, improve water quality, reduce leakage, and ensure that rural communities have access to safe, reliable, and sustainable water services.'
This article has been funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
