Castletown Group Water Scheme - Sligo County Council

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North West and South East Sligo
Group Water Scheme DBO projectsth July, 2006
In the presence of the Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council, Councillor Jim McGarry
Sligo County Council, the National Federation of Group Water Schemes,
the Group Water Scheme Sector and the Department of the
Environment, Heritage and Local Government have been working in
partnership since responsibility for the Rural Water Programme was
devolved to local authorities in 1997. The partnership is operated
through the County Sligo Rural Water Committee where a number of
projects have been delivered under the various measures which were
introduced as part of that programme, e.g. group scheme
construction/upgrading, takeover and upgrading of group water
schemes, small water and sewerage schemes.
The Drinking Water Regulations introduced in December 2000 brought all group
schemes serving 50 persons or more within the remit of the Drinking Water
Directive. Environmental Protection Agency reports indicated that water quality on
some of the private group water schemes did not comply with the standards for
drinking water.
It was decided that the best method of dealing with the issue was to adopt the
strategy which had been agreed at national level – bundling of group schemes into
two Design Build Operate (DBO) projects involving the provision of eleven treatment
plants and the operation of the plants for a period of 20 years. The bundles were
formed on a strategic location basis – the South East and North West Bundles.
Jennings O’Donovan & Partners/J.B. Barry & Partners were engaged as Client’s
Representative for the South East Bundle and T.J. O’Connor & Associates/DHV Water
were engaged for the North West Bundle.
Agreements to participate in the projects were signed by the group schemes in
2003. Tenders for the projects were sought in 2004 and the successful contractor for
both bundles was Treatment Systems Services Limited.
A Steering Group was established to co-ordinate the work with representatives from
Sligo County Council, The Federation of Group Water Supplies, Group Schemes, the
Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Client’s
Representatives and the National Project Manager. Regular meetings, were held to
ensure that any delays or concerns which arose could be discussed and resolved.
The Design/Build Contracts were signed for both projects in April, 2005 and the
North West and South East Sligo Group Water Scheme DBO projects