Irish Government Allocates Record Funding to Improve Water Quality

March 10, 2004

A $15.5 million (U.S.) investment plan to upgrade Ireland's rural water supplies was launched today by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Martin Cullen.

Against the backdrop of residents hospitalized over fears of contamination from the Cryptosporidium bug in drinking water, and public announcements telling residents in certain areas to boil water before use due to pollution worries, the Minister this week said the situation was "totally unacceptable."

The $15.5 million is an unprecedented amount for such funding in Ireland. It will go towards improving the water quality for 46,000 rural households, many of which are currently supplied with polluted and unsatisfactory water supplies.

With this increased allocation for rural areas, the country's overall funding is up nearly $39 million from last year, subsequent to a European Court of Justice order to bring privately sourced group water schemes up to the standards outlined under the EU Drinking Water Directive.

The Rural Water Programme, of which the funding is part, aims to improve water services infrastructure in these areas. It is the 40 percent of privately sources water supplies from rivers and lakes, which need to be upgraded, rather than water supplied from groups scheme connected to local authority pipelines.

An EPA report last month found drinking water from these sources "unsatisfactory."

"I am determined that lack of money will not get in the way of securing the earliest possible resolution of water quality issues," said Cullen. He praised efforts put forward by local authorities which set a target of 2006 for all group water schemes to be brought into compliance with Drinking Water Regulations.

A proposal put forward by Carlow County Council which will provide water treatment and disinfectant facilities for 45 rural water schemes, serving 20,000 consumers across seven counties, was described as the ‘most ambitious venture yet’ by the Minister.

He said this should enthuse stakeholders to ensure "that polluted rural water supplies are consigned as quickly as possible to the history books where they belong."

Source: Environmental Data Interactive Exchange

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