Over €5M for Sligo's Busy Rural Water Programme

The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has allocated a block grant allocation of €5.25m to Sligo County Council. This will enable the Council to continue the delivery of its comprehensive rural water programme, with the funding being used to provide small public water and sewerage schemes and Group Water Schemes. The full breakdown of the allocation is as follows:

The current programme of works will see twelve Private Group schemes throughout the county benefiting from the construction of new treatment plants, which will deliver a quality water supply that meets EU standards.

Cathaoirleach Councillor Patsy Barry welcomed the news of the allocation, which was discussed at the April meeting of the Council. ‘When Sligo County Council embarked on its Rural Water Programme in 1997, it received an allocation of £101,300 for that year. In 2005 this figure had grown to E7 million, and the latest allocation reflects great credit on the people who work tirelessly on this programme. The success of Sligo’s Rural Water programme is founded on active partnership among all concerned - Group Schemes Committees, National Federation, Department of the Environment, and of course Sligo County Council.’

The news of the latest funding was also welcomed by the Chairperson of Sligo County Council’s Rural Water Monitoring Committee, Councillor Gerry Murray. ‘I think this latest allocation is hugely significant in terms of our Rural Water Programme. This funding by the Department is due acknowledgement for the excellent work being carried out by Sligo County Council and the various Group Scheme Committees on the ground.

There is an excellent working relationship between the various group schemes, Sligo County Council, the Department of the Environment and the National Federation.

We are all working towards a common objective, the delivery of a good quality water supply that meets the required EU standards.’

1800 houses to benefit

Two ‘bundles’ of contracts were signed in County Hall in late 2005, with the work being carried out by Treatment Services Ltd., Kilkenny.

When the current programme of work is completed, a quality water supply will be delivered to approximately 1800 households throughout the county.