I'm really pleased to be announncing today that Group Water Schemes across Carlow and Kilkenny have secured almost €2 million in funding from my Department under a new cycle of the capital investment through the Muilti-Annual Rural Water Programme.
Five Group Water Schemes in Carlow set to benefit from over €965,000, while 21 Group Water Schemes in Kilkenny will receive over €924,000. The funding allocation is part of a €47m national scheme supporting over 250 projects across the country to improve the quality, quantity and reliability of water services in rural areas.
Group Water Schemes provide vital water services for people in rural areas and I have long championed them as an important part of the solution to sustainable rural development. Clean, safe drinking water from good quality supplies is one of the most fundamental services that communities depend on and community-led Group Water Schemes do incredible work improving the quality, quantity and reliability of that supply their wider community. Today’s announcement will ensure that the health and wellbeing of people living in rural Carlow and Kilkenny will be protected into the future.
The 256 projects receiving funding today are among the first tranche of Group Water Schemes to benefit from the 2024-2026 Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Five categories of measures being supported under the first tranche include source protection, water quality compliance, amalgamation or rationalisation, taking-in-charge of Group Water Schemes, and Community Water Connections. Further funding announcements for projects under the three outstanding categories of measures – water conservation, extensions to existing Group Water Schemes, and innovative demonstration projects – will be made in the coming months.
On the wider issue of rural water services, I remain mindful that not everyone in rural areas has access to a Group Water Scheme. Many households are dependent on private domestic wells and I continue to believe it’s not right that they should have to pay to have their well water tested or to access basic remediation measures for wells. Everyone – rural or urban – should have access to good quality drinking water and this is something I want to continue working to address in the next Dáil.
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