EPA ups the ante

RURAL WATER NEWS 

National Federation 

of Group Water Schemes 

Magazine of the Group Water Scheme Sector 

Autumn 2007 Volume 9 Issue 3 

EPA ups the ante 

Office of Environmental Enforcement identifies key issues 

The EPA’s annual report on 

drinking water quality is to 

become stronger on 

enforcement and will map 

out what needs to happen 

over the next number of 

years. 

As part of a radical overhaul, 

we are likely to see a 

profiling of schemes considered 

at risk, with three options 

being presented, the most serious 

being a recommendation 

to shut down a supply where 

there is serious and persistent 

non-compliance. 

Improvement 

According to Ger O’Leary of 

the Office of Environmental 

Enforcement, agreement has 

been reached with the Health 

Service Executive on the criteria 

that will be applied for 

placing and lifting a boil 

notice. 

Speaking to delegates 

attending the National Water 

Summit held in Croke Park 

Conference Centre on 2 & 3 

October, Mr O’Leary said that 

a recent report suggests that 

many water supplies are in the 

‘high risk’ category. 

Referring to public 

schemes, he said that the 

absence of chlorine monitor 

alarms is an area that should 

be dealt with immediately. In 

addition, Mr O’Leary stressed 

the need for public schemes to 

be active on the following: 

• the provision of chlorine 

booster stations, where 

needed; 

• measuring turbidity at the 

inflow and outflow from 

treatment plants. 

Root causes 

Speaking about the water 

supply sector as a whole, he 

Ger O’Leary of the Office of Environmental Enforcement speaking at the National Water Summit held in Croke 

Park conference centre on 2 & 3 October. 

said that ‘actions must deal 

with the root causes of problems’ 

and should not be ‘a 

patch job’. 

Many public plants are running 

above their design 

capacity, he said, adding that 

this is inconsistent with sustaining 

drinking water quality. 

And in a clear reference to 

the contamination crisis that 

hit group schemes in the East 

Cavan DBO bundle earlier 

this year, he called for tighter 

controls over the chemicals 

used in the treatment of 

drinking water. 

In this issue: 

Page 

Comment ......................................3 

Water matters: have your say! ....3 

Rural Water Conference 2007 ....4 

Effective management means huge 

savings on Cavan largest GWS ..7 

The legislative context explained 9 

Water Framework Directive: 

significant management issues ....11 

Delays in south Leinster project 13 

Practical measures of source 

protection ....................................13 

Make returns to Registrar ..........13 

Report awaited on East Cavan 

crisis ..............................................14 

Keeping members informed – 

for free ..........................................15 

Important seminars to consider 

regulations ....................................15 

The state of the RWP ................16 

Treatment alone is not enough ....16 

Updates on pilot projects ............17 

Regional Reports: 

Connacht ......................................19 

Ulster ............................................21 

Leinster ........................................24 

Munster ........................................27 

1

Rural Water News Autumn 2007 

2


Comment 

Can the people of Ireland be trusted with protection of the 

environment and of our water courses in particular? This was 

the question posed by Professor Tom Collins in a thought-provoking 

concluding address to this year’s Rural Water Services 

Conference. 

Arguing for a decisive shift from ‘a water treatment philosophy 

to a water protection philosophy’, the Chairperson of the 

National Rural Water Monitoring Committee didn’t mince his 

words, stating that we (the people of Ireland) are ‘systemically 

untrustworthy’ when it comes to environmental issues. 

Harsh as this may sound, I doubt if there was anyone present 

at the conference (myself included) who could claim, hand on 

heart, that they never knowingly did something that would 

damage the environment. You know what I mean ... the bag of 

rubbish thrown over the hedge, the bog or other wetland 

infilled with spoil or building rubble, the oil poured down a 

drain, the septic tank that doesn’t work, the slurry spread in 

unsuitable conditions ... I could go on! 

As Professor Collins suggested, we have been deluded into 

thinking that technology can solve every mess that we create. 

We have bought into the ludicrous Victorian notion that technology 

can control the environment. 

We need to build a new ‘civic morality’, according to 

Professor Collins and the rural water sector should be to the 

forefront of this, setting 2020 as the target date to have 

restored our waterways to pristine condition. 

The Water Framework Directive will maintain a focus on this 

issue for years to come, but surely we don’t have to wait for 

the threat of sanctions before we start doing the right thing? 

Locally, stakeholders need to be brought together to tackle the 

issue of water pollution and there needs to be active crosscounty 

and cross-border co-operation to deal with river and 

lake catchments. 

Let’s focus first on our drinking water sources, because there 

has to be community buy-in to this and people are most likely 

to buy into protection of their own drinking water source. 

Begin by mapping the river catchment or aquifer, then identify 

the risks and the potential risks. Finally, take steps to eliminate 

those risks, so that our sources can begin their recovery. 

The source protection pilot project at Churchill & Oram GWS 

has provided valuable lessons in all of this and the team at 

DkIT are available to share their expertise. Schemes and local 

authorities should be setting aside resources in the coming 

year, taking the first decisive step in building a ‘civic morality’ 

and achieving the target suggested by Professor Collins. 

Disclaimer 

While every care has been taken to ensure that the information 

contained in this publication is up to date and correct, no 

responsibility will be taken by the National Federation of 

Group Water Schemes for any error which might occur. 

Although grateful for the support of our advertisers, readers 

should note that inclusion of an advertisement does not imply 

any form of recommendation. 

We try to ensure the reliability of advertisers, but Rural 

Water News cannot accept liability for the quality of goods and 

services offered. 

3 

Water Matters 

have your say! 

Public consultations on key 

issues affecting waterways 

in the Shannon River Basin 

District and Western River 

Basin District will be held 

over the next two months. 

In the Shannon RBD 

(including a region from 

south Cavan to north Kerry), 

the consultation process 

begins in hotels in Ennis 

(West County) on 9 October, 

followed by Limerick 

(Kilmurry Lodge) on the 10th 

and Tralee (Brandon) on the 

11th. All start at 8pm. 

If you have already missed 

these, four other consultations 

take place between 22 

and 25 October, at Carrick-on- 

Shannon (Landmark), Mountnugent 

(Crover House), 

Athlone (Prince of Wales) 

Water Well Drilling 

Water Quality Improvements at Source 

One of the most important tasks for any group water 

scheme is to consider the performance of your 

groundwater source in terms of quality and quantity. 

• Low-cost trial drilling can establish water supply 

and water quality prior to developing production 

well/treatment system specification. 

• Cement-sealed wells prevent shallow surface-water 

entering a supply, reducing the risk of contamination. 

• An inert uPVC casing/ 

screen or stainless steel 

screen with gravel pack 

between screen section 

and open hole helps prevent 

the ingress of silt/ 

sand into a water supply. 

Contact the experienced 

professionals 

Patrick Briody & Sons Ltd 

Briody Aquadrill Services 

The Grove 

Rathangan, Co. Kildare 

Tel. 045-524360 or 087-2589313 

Fax 045-524785 

Web:www.briodydrilling.com 

and Nenagh (Abbey Court) 

respectively. 

For further info, phone Jean 

Hartery at 061-337914, or 

email info@shannonrbd.com 

Western RBD 

Pat Canney is the contact for 

the Western RBD that extends 

from Mullaghmore in Sligo to 

the Burren in Clare. He is 

available at 091-746804 or 

ecanney@galwaycoco.ie. 

Consultations are at 7.30pm 

in Castlebar (Day’s) on 10 

October and continue in 

November in Sligo (Sligo 

Park) on 5th; Galway City 

(Radisson) on the 13th; 

Clifden (Station House) on 

the 15th; Ballyvaughan (St 

John’s Community Hall) on 

the 20th and in Tuam 

(Corralea Court) on the 27th.


Rural Water Conference 2007 

Minister acknowledges ‘positive impact’ of EU scrutiny 

254 delegates attending the 

rural water conference in 

Cavan heard Minister Tony 

Killeen, TD, acknowledge 

what he described as the 

‘positive impact’ that the 

EU focus on water quality 

has had for Ireland. 

Referring to his personal 

involvement as a committee 

member of Kilnaboy GWS in 

County Clare and the opening 

earlier this year of four 

DBO treatment plants in his 

native county, the Minister 

said that he was struck by the 

‘extraordinary change’ of 

recent years. 

Having been charged with 

responsibility for the rural 

water sector in the Department 

of the Environment, Heritage 

& Local Government, 

Minister Killeen told conference 

delegates EU scrutiny 

has ‘acted as a catalyst’ for 

the transformation taking 

place in the sector and should 

be welcomed for that reason. 

Action Plan 

Pointing to the work of the 

National Rural Water 

Monitoring Committee, he 

said that the action plan produced 

in 2003 in response to 

the European Court of Justice 

ruling against Ireland ‘was 

very substantially delivered 

on’ and ‘superb work has 

been done’. 

Turning to the future of the 

sector, he continued: 

‘The situation has moved 

light years away from what it 

used to be. Today we are presented 

with very different 

challenges and to meet those 

challenges, schemes need to 

be managed in an entirely 

different manner.’ 

The quality of training will, 

he said, ‘be a critical issue’ in 

ensuring quality delivery of 

rural water services. 

The Minister made a plea to 

GWS Boards of Management 

and to local authorities to 

work closely together on 

4 

Above: Prior to the conference, Minister Tony Killeen, TD, and his officials met with representatives of the 

Water Services National Training Group and the National Federation of Group Water Schemes. Pictured, front 

row (l-r) Terry Allen (DoEHLG), Terry Ó Niadh (WSNTG), Minister Killeen and Brendan O’Mahony 

(NFGWS). Back row (l-r) Carthage Cusack (DoEHLG), Tom Kirby (WSNTG) and Seán Clerkin (NFGWS). 

Top right: WSNTG Chairperson, Terry Ó Niadh made a presentation to Minister Killeen following his address. 

implementing source protection 

and on other key areas 

affecting the rural water sector. 

He concluded: 

‘I would like to think that 

notwithstanding the provisions 

of the new regulations, 

it will be through co-operation 

rather than confrontation 

that we address these crucial 

matters.’ 

Management theme 

Following on from the 

Minister’s address, the need 

for effective management 

was echoed in contributions 

from conference speakers. 

In the course of a sectoral 

overview, NFGWS Research 

& Development Officer, 

Brian MacDonald, cautioned 

against complacency, arguing 

that while there had been 

great strides in terms of putting 

physical infrastructure in 

place, the managerial challenge 

is emerging as a new 

priority for group water 

schemes. 

Stating that water treatment 

should only be regarded as ‘a 

step in the right direction’, he 

said that the Cryptosporidium 

outbreak in County Galway 

and East Cavan’s Phenol 

contamination crisis had 

exposed the fact that things 

can and will go wrong and 

schemes must prepare to deal 

with setbacks and to learn 

from them.


‘This will require consistent 

management’, he said, 

adding: 

‘In addition to managing the performance 

of their treatment system 

(whether DBO or not), 

schemes must manage sources 

to maintain quality and quantity 

of supply, manage water quality 

in the network, manage the network 

itself to avoid wastage and 

manage finances and the wider 

business affairs of their cooperative.’ 

Mr MacDonald concluded 

that the new subsidy negotiated 

between the Federation 

and the Department is 

expected to reflect the growing 

need for effective management 

in all group water 

schemes. 

Preparing for licensing 

‘Can you, with hand on heart 

say that there will be others 

prepared to do all that is 

required when you step 

down, bearing in mind that 

each year more and more is 

required?’ 

This was the question 

posed to GWS committees 

by NFGWS Health & Safety 

Officer, Karen Mulkeen, as 

she made the case for the 

employment of paid managers 

‘to ease the burden on 

our voluntary activists’. 

While voluntarism was, 

and would remain, ‘the 

bedrock’ of a group water 

scheme, the range of tasks 

facing a GWS in securing a 

licence and managing their 

business, meant that voluntarism 

alone is simply not 

sustainable, she said. 

Ms Mulkeen told delegates 

that to secure a licence, water 

service providers will have to 

consistently demonstrate 

quality water and quality 

consumer service achived 

through quality management. 

Listing almost 30 specific 

tasks facing a group scheme 

in meeting these obligations, 

she said that a manager 

qworking under the dirfection 

of a GWS Board and to 

an agreed contract offers the 

best way forward. 

Resentment 

She warned, however, that 

employment of a manager 

may raise issues in relation to 

finance and potential resentment, 

as someone is now 

being paid to do work that others 

formerly did for nothing. 

Liability Insurance for 

Group Water Schemes 

Brokers: Lyons Insurance Services Limited 

Underwriter: D. A. Constable Syndicate (Ireland) Ltd. 

(Acting for D. A. Constable Syndicate 386 at Lloyds) 

The restructured subsidy 

will, she said, go some way 

to addressing this, but regardless 

of any obstacles, it is 

crucial that GWS committees 

recognise that this is the only 

sustainable course if they are 

to meet the requirements of 

the recently-introduced legislation 

and regulations. 

National Water Services Project Manager, Kevin Reilly, chaired the 

second session at the conference. 

• Insuring Federation Members for over 15 years 

• Single Combined Employers/Public Liability Policy 

• Standard cover includes 

Employer Liability €13,000,000 

Public Liability €2,600,000 

Emergency Repair Work & New House Connections 

• Competitive Rates Quoted 

Contact Noreen Gilligan, Lyons Insurance Services Limited 

The Square, Claremorris, Co. Mayo. 

T. 094 9371511 F. 094 9371389 E. tlyons@eircom.net 

LYONS INSURANCE SERVICES LTD. IS REGULATED BY THE IRISH FINANCIAL SERVICES REGULATORY AUTHORITY AS AN 

AUTHORISED ADVISOR 

5


6


Effective management means huge 

savings on Cavan’s largest GWS 

Cavan’s largest group water 

scheme has managed to 

save its consumers about 

€230,000 annually by 

reducing water wastage 

through its distribution network 

and there are plans for 

further savings in the 

months ahead. 

This was the message 

delivered by Erne Valley 

GWS manager, Mairéad 

Sheridan, whose presentation 

to the Rural Water 

Conference underlined what 

schemes can achieve through 

appointing a dedicated manager 

and maintenance staff. 

Erne Valley GWS 

With almost 1,600 connections, 

of which 1,140 serve a 

domestic dwelling (sometimes 

in addition to a farmyard), 

Erne Valley is one of 

Ireland’s biggest group water 

schemes. 

Its 240 km network links a 

large rural of south west 

Cavan. Formerly, this region 

was served by two schemes 

Gartylough GWS and 

Brusky/Killydoon GWS, but 

in 2005, these amalgamated 

to form Erne Valley GWS. 

Following amalgamation, a 

major upgrade programme 

began, including construction 

of a treatment plant, an 

11-km interconnecting pipe 

and universal metering. 

To oversee these works, the 

new 15-strong committee 

moved quickly to employ a 

part-time manager. 

Candidate 

After a process of advertising 

and interviews, Mairéad 

Sheridan emerged as the successful 

candidate and was 

appointed on 8 May 2006. 

Her experience in the 

accounts department of Pat 

Mairéad Sheridan, Manager of Erne Valley GWS, pictured with Cathage Cusack of the DoEHLG. 

the Baker’s successful business 

in Granard meant that 

she had ample experience in 

business management. 

Working closely with the 

committee, she began to 

implement a plan to have 

quality treated water flowing 

to homes across the scheme 

at the earliest opportunity. 

As things stood, the new 

state-of-the-art water treatment 

plant could not be 

switched on, because of massive 

water loss along the distribution 

network. 

Demand 

At the time of her appointment, 

daily demand stood at 

a staggering 5,700 m 3 (1.25 

million gallons) per day, 

more than twice the design 

demand. The capacity of the 

new treatment plant was 

3,500 m 3 (770,000 gallons), 

but it could reach 4,400 m 3 

(968,000 gallons) peak 

demand. 

The priority for Mairéad 

Sheridan and the Erne Valley 

committee was to reduce 

daily demand to a level 

where the treatment plant 

could become operational. 

In additon to completing 

the universal metering contract, 

this required the 

appointment of a dedicated 

caretaker to deal with maintenance 

and repairs on an 

ongoing basis. In August 

2006, John Masterson was 

appointed to this position following 

normal recruitment 

procedures. 

In little over a year since 

then, 500 leaks have been 

detected and dealt with. More 

significantly, the completion 

of the universal metering 

programme meant that the 

GWS has been able to move 

away from its former flat-rate 

billing system to a charging 

policy based on usage. 

Meters 

As soon as the meters 

became operational, they 

were read by committee 

members and those members 

with high usage were alerted 

that they might have leaks. 

Similarly, those with unauthorised 

connections were urged 

to regularise their situation or 

face the consequences, 

including legal action and 

disconnection! 

Since the waste reduction 

programme began, daily 

demand has dropped to 3,300 

m 3 (726,000 gallons) across 

the entire network, a 42% 

reduction! In terms of the 

financial benefit, the scheme 

is saving about €230,000 

annually on the volumetric 

payment to the treatment 

plant operator. 

Mairéad Sheridan revealed 

that with a further ongoing 

programme of replacing 

defective mains, installing 

pressure reduction valves and 

establishing district (bulk) 

meter areas across the 

scheme, it is hoped to 

achieve a 3,000 (660,000) m 3 

daily demand by the end of 

this year. 

7


Benefits 

Apart from financial savings, 

the benefits of an effective 

management strategy were 

witnessed when unforeseen 

problems arose after the 

treatment plant was switched 

in April this year. 

An unprecedented algal 

bloom hit Garty lough, the 

scheme’s source in June and 

again in August. The treatment 

plant hadn’t been 

designed to deal with this 

problem and there was no 

option but to shut it down 

temporarily on both occasions. 

The manager’s task was to 

address the public health 

issues involved, ensure a 

flow of information to the 

committee and the wider 

membership, organise the 

scouring of lines after the 

events, as well as working 

with the service provider 

(EPS) to find a solution. 

The treatment system is 

now being expanded to cope 

with algae, should the problem 

re-occur, but Mairéad 

Sheridan told delegates that 

her objective as manager will 

be to get to the cause of the 

problem and to recommend 

the introduction of appropriate 

source protection measures. 

Information 

Consumer education is clearly 

high on her agenda. Besides 

issuing bills detailing the 

volume of water through the 

meter, all members will 

receive a newsletter in 

advance of the AGM. 

Mairéad Sheridan accepted 

that her role requires positive 

support from a range of 

people, not least the water 

services section of Cavan 

County Council. 

She concluded by paying 

tribute to the committee of 

Erne Valley GWS and to 

John Masterson, for ensuring 

that the scheme is on its way 

to achieving quality water 

and a quality service through 

effective management. 

8


Explaining the 

legislative 

context 

This year’s conference 

broke new ground when a 

representative of the 

Environmental Protection 

Agency addressed delegates. 

Darragh Page, an Inspector 

with the environmental 

watchdog outlined the implications 

for the rural water 

sector of the European 

Communities (Drinking 

Water) Regulations, 2007. 

Explaining that local 

authorities are to be Water 

Supervisory Authorities for 

group schemes, he said that 

under the regulations, they 

have strengthened powers of 

enforcement, new powers of 

direction and the ability to 

impose sanctions. 

A Water Supervisory 

Authority (WSA) can now 

direct a water supplier to 

keep and submit records 

relating to : 

• Management and treatment 

of water 

• Monitoring results 

• Corrective actions 

• Disinfection 

• Information for inclusion 

on the Register 

Risk to health 

Where there is a risk to health 

the WSA (in consultation 

with the Health Service Executive) 

can now direct a water 

supplier to take appropriate 

measures to prevent, limit, 

eliminate or abate that risk. 

Where it considers it approprivate, 

a Water Supervisory 

Authority can also issue 

directions in relation to water 

treatment. 

The regulations also require 

an ‘immediate investigation’ 

into the cause of a problem 

where remedial action is 

called for and a strict 

timescale is laid down for the 

preparation by the group 

scheme of an ‘action plan’. 

This plan may then be 

amended. 

Offences 

Mr Page detailed a series of 

offences under the regulations. 

Amongst these, it is an 

offence ‘to fail to carry out a 

direction to prevent, limit, 

eliminate or abate a risk to 

health’. 

Similarly, failure to prepare 

and implement an action programme, 

inform consumers 

about remedial action, maintain 

records of incidents, or to 

make records available to 

supervisory authorities, are 

all deemed an offence. 

Under Regulation 19, it is 

an offence to: 

• refuse access to an authorised 

person 

• obstruct/impede an authorised 

person. 

• give false or misleading 

information to an authorised 

person. 

• fail to comply with a direction 

from an authorised 

person. 

All of the above offences 

carry financial penalties. 

Oppsite page (from top) Alex McDonell of Mayo was one of many delgates 

to participate in question & answer sessions; Members of 

Townawully GWS with Donegal Rural Water Liaison Officer, Mary 

McDermott; Delegates used breaks in the conference to renew old 

acquaintances and to share information; NFGWS Chairperson, Brendan 

O’Mahony in conversation with Professor Tom Collins. 

This page: (left) Darragh Page, the first EPA representative to address an 

annual rural water services conference; (right) Pat Keane, DoEHLG. 

Water Services Act 

In recent years, Pat Keane of 

the Water Services Policy 

Section of the DoEHLG has 

become a familiar face to 

rural water activists. 

A key figure in drafting the 

Water Service Bill as it 

appeared before the Houses 

of the Oireachtas (and in 

redrafting it on its tortuous 

route towards enactment), he 

returned this September to 

explain the measure as it was 

finally enacted and signed 

into law on 14 May. 

Operational 

Amongst its operational provisions, 

the Act allows a local 

authority (WSA) to close, or 

order remediation, of polluted 

drinking water sources. 

Where there is a temporary 

interruption of supply that 

exceeds 24 hours, an alternative 

source of domestic drinking 

water must be provided. 

A WSA has strengthened 

acquisition powers under the 

Act. This includes power to 

acquire a waterworks where 

two-thirds of the members of 

a GWS agree. 

‘Orphan’ schemes (where 

there is no active committee) 

can be taken-in-charge, while 

a WSA has power to take 

over management of a 

scheme on a temporary basis, 

and to charge the costs 

involved to the scheme. 

Under the Act, it an offence 

to damage pipes or tamper 

with meters. Those wishing 

to build over pipes will 

require consent to do so. 

The full enforcement of the 

provisions of the Act in tersm 

of the licensing of group 

water schemes will follow 

production of appropriate 

guidelines, Mr Keane said. 

Habitats & Heritage 

A legislative area that has not 

figured largely in the minds 

of rural water activists, but 

has presented major challenges 

to GWS upgrades in 

some areas, is the protection 

afforded to designated areas 

and heritage sites. 

Oliver Fogarty, a senior 

advisor in the DoEHLG, 

addressed the sometimes conflicting 

claims of public 

health and the legal protection 

afforded to particular 

designated sites and species, 

and outlined a protocol that 

should applied in such cases. 

Apart from 60 different 

habitats, including turloughs, 

raised bogs, blanket bogs, 

clean lakes and limestone 

pavement, protection is given 

to 25 endangered species, 

including otters, bats, salmon 

and freshwater pearl mussels. 

International conventions 

(signed up to by Ireland) 

mean that, when planning 

development, special consideration 

must be given to these 

and to archaeological sites. 

A water service provider, 

for example, would have to 

demonstrate conclusively that 

no alternative existed when 

carrying out an essential 

upgrade that might impact on 

any of the above. 

Continued on page 11 

9


10


Explaining 

the 

legislative 

context 

Continued from page 9 

The best way for schemes 

(or local authorities) to 

avoid problems in this area 

is to check in advance if the 

proposed site for infrastructural 

work falls within 

a designated area. 

Mr Fogarty explained that 

a search on the National 

Parks and Wildlife Service 

website (www.npws.ie) will 

clarify matters, as this lists 

and provides GIS mapping 

of every Natural Heritage 

Area (NHAs), Special Areas 

of Conservation (SACs) and 

Special Protection Areas 

(SPAs). It can be searched by 

county and by grid within 

each county. 

Protocol 

The need for the works must 

be measured against the 

potential impact. The elements 

of a protocol, therefore, 

include: 

• Screening 

• Examination of alternatives 

• Environmental Impact 

Assessment 

• Decision 

• Mitigation/compensatory 

habitat 

• Derogation. 

Water Framework Directive 

Significant management issues 

When it comes to the 

timetable for implementing 

the Water Framework 

Directive, Ireland is to the 

fore, but the critical factor 

will be our success in 

restoring our waterways to 

at least ‘good status’ by 

2015. 

This was the message 

delivered to conference delegates 

by Pat Duggan of the 

DoEHLG, in an overview of 

key water management 

issues that need to be 

addressed in river basin management 

plans. 

At risk 

Some 61% of our groundwater 

resources are at risk, and 

those risks are significant in 

several regions. 

Similarly, 64% of surface 

water are at risk, especially 

in Leinster. 

A range of management 

issues arise, from control of 

wastewater and industrial 

discharges to abstraction 

policies and dealing with 

both point source and diffuse 

pollution. 

A fuller article on this 

paper and on the public 

consultation around the 

WFD will be carried in our 

next issue. 

Following publication in June of the excellent booklet Water matters: have 

your say!, each River Basin District is currently organising a public consultation 

process. See page 3. 

Oliver Fogarty, DoEHLG. 

Pat Duggan, DoEHLG. 

11


12


Delays 

in south 

Leinster 

Project 

The first treatment plants 

have been commissioned in 

the South Leinster DBO 

bundle, but delays have 

meant that the overall construction 

programme has 

already been extended by 

several months. 

EPS 

The DBO contactor, EPS, has 

commissioned plants on the 

Clifden, Castleinch and 

Cuffesgrange Group Water 

Schemes in Kilkenny. 

These are expected to be 

followed in a few weeks by 

the commissioning of 

Castlewarren (Kilkenny), St. 

Mullins Parish (Carlow) and 

Kilanerin (Wexford) plants. 

The commissioning phase 

is welcomed by the schemes 

involved, as there have been 

numerous delays during the 

construction phase. 

Some of the original target 

dates programmed by the 

contractor were not met, partly 

due to problems in appointing 

sub contractors and drillers. 

Revised 

EPS has now submitted a 

revised programme to the end 

of the contract and this is currently 

being reviewed by the 

client’s representative. 

The recent appointment by 

EPS of a dedicated full-time 

Project Manager (Eamon 

Connolly) is likely to accelerate 

progress. 

Civil construction is ongoing 

on five sites at present. 

Nineteen schemes (mainly 

PWS) are at or near completion 

with mechanical and 

electrical equipment now 

being installed. 

All the advance works are 

complete apart from some 

schemes that are carrying out 

universal metering. 

Practical measures of 

source protection 

The National Source 

Protection Pilot Project at 

Churchill & Oram GWS has 

entered a new phase, with 

practical measures for 

source protection appearing 

throughout the catchment. 

Simple cost-effective initiatives 

are currently being 

installed at a large number of 

sites. 

Over the summer, the DkIT 

project team walked all riverbanks 

throughout the catchment 

and identified and measured 

accurately the amount of 

riverside that would benefit 

from simple fencing and the 

installation of buffer strips, 

where appropriate. 

This simple initiative will 

ensure that direct cattle access 

to rivers is prevented and will 

allow any impacted sites to 

recover quickly. 

Wherever cattle access is 

restricted, drinkers are being 

installed to ensure a plentiful 

supply of water. 

In addition to this, soil testing 

and nutrient management 

plans are available to all farmers 

to wish to partake of them. 

Septic tank survey 

Another on-going initiative is 

the broadening of the septic 

tank survey taking place in 

the catchment. 

This part of the project is 

placing a greater emphasis 

Make returns 

to Registrar 

26 co-operative group water 

schemes in 12 counties face 

being struck off the Registry 

of Friendly Societies for failure 

to make returns. Amongst 

the schemes listed are a number 

that are actively involved 

in DBO contracts and for 

13 

A borehole drilled at a septic tank is surrounded with Bentonite to prevent 

pollutants entering the borehole. Inset: The finished ‘intrusive 

inspection’ point scarcely disturbs the surrounding lawns or field. 

than ever before on the inner 

workings of septic tanks and 

their potential impact on 

water quality. 

‘Non-intrusive’ and ‘intrusive’ 

examinations of septic 

tanks are continuing and 

progress has been swift, 

mainly due to the high level 

of community support and cooperation 

offered. 

The ‘non-intrusive’ studies 

are no more than visual 

inspections with associated 

measurements and calculations, 

while the ‘intrusive’ 

inspections (see pictures 

above) are designed to create 

whom deregistration would 

be both costly and time-consuming. 

NFGWS development officers 

have contacted the 

schemes involved. 

Other schemes are 

reminded to double-check 

that their returns have been 

processed by their auditor 

and have been forwarded to 

the office of the Registrar. 

as little disturbance as possible 

to the home-owner and 

involve borehole drilling to 

map the groundwater table 

and define soil profiles. 

Livestock 

The piping is normally cut 

down to ground level and protected 

from livestock disturbance 

with a concrete block. 

These boreholes are also providing 

samples for analysis of 

soil and groundwater. 

At the end of the sampling 

period, the boreholes will be 

decommissioned and there 

will be no evidence left to 

suggest they were ever there. 

Electronic forms 

The Registry of Friendly 

Societies has now posted a 

number of its official forms 

on the Companies Registration 

Office website, including the 

forms for annual and triennial 

returns. Both PDF and ‘fillable’ 

Word format versions 

are available. 

See the CRO website at 

http://www.cro.ie


Report awaited on 

East Cavan crisis 

While there is no sign, as 

yet, of the final report on 

the phenol contamination 

crisis that hit five group 

schemes in the East Cavan 

DBO bundle earlier this 

year, the incident has put a 

spotlight on all chemicals 

used in drinking water treatment. 

Speaking to delegates at the 

National Water Summit in 

Dublin on 3 October, Gerard 

O’Leary of the Environmental 

Enforcement Agency, said 

that there is a case to be made 

for adding phenols to the 

range of substances to be 

watched out for in Irish drinking 

water supplies. 

It is generally accepted that 

the absence of monitoring 

and the lack of adequate laboratory 

facilities in Ireland 

capable of identifying phenols 

and other undesirable 

chemicals and by-products, 

seriously delayed efforts to 

address the East Cavan crisis. 

Regulatory body 

Similarly, the non-existence 

of a regulatory body to oversee 

the production and sale of 

chemicals used in water 

treatment is an issue that the 

NFGWS wants to see 

addressed. 

This was one of several 

points raised by the 

Federation’s Deputy National 

Co-ordinator, Colm Brady, 

when he met Environment 

Minister, John Gormley, in 

Monaghan on 20 July. 

This informal meeting was 

organised through local 

Green Party Councillor, 

Vincent P. Martin and in 

cluded a representative of 

Glaslough/Tyholland GWS 

(one of the schemes hit by the 

contamination crisis) and the 

Federation representative. 

Responding to Mr Brady’s 

argument that inherent weaknesses 

in the monitoring and 

regulation of chemicals used 

in drinking water need to be 

urgently addressed, Minister 

Gormley said that he is currently 

examining this whole 

area and that he would be in 

favour of introducing additional 

regulations if this was 

necessary. 

Monitoring 

The Minister added that he is 

also examining the area of 

the monitoring of water treatment 

products and stated that 

he is actively considering the 

resourcing of an appropriate 

inspectorate to deal with this 

issue. 

Pictured following an informal meeting to discuss issues arising from the 

phenol contamination crisis are (l-r)) Cllr Vincent P. Martin, Glaslough/ 

Tyholland Chairperson, Peter Sherry, NFGWS Deputy National Coordinator, 

Colm Brady, and Environment Minister, John Gormley, TD. 

14


Keeping 

members 

informed 

– for free 

Group water schemes wishing 

to keep members updated 

on developments such as 

disruptions to supply, forthcoming 

meetings, quality 

information and suchlike, 

may do so at no financial 

cost and with very little 

effort. 

The days of writing letters, 

stuffing envelopes, addressing 

and posting them may not be 

quite over yet, but the proliferation 

of mobile phones 

means that new technologies 

can be used to send routine or 

emergency information 

quickly and relatively cheaply. 

In fact, the secretary/manager 

of your GWS can send 

up to 300 free text messages 

monthly, simply by registering 

through the website of 

their mobile provider. 

For their part, O2 provide 

250 free text messages 

monthly, while Vodafone and 

Meteor give their customers 

300. Using a dedicated phone 

for this purpose, schemes 

The Drinking Water 

Regulations and their implications 

for licensing will be 

the focus of four important 

regional seminars for the 

rural water sector to be held 

in the near future. 

Rural Water News understands 

that the seminars will 

deal in detail with critical 

issues for the future of rural 

drinking water supplies and 

that two representatives from 

each GWS will be invited to 

attend. 

An implementation circular 

and a handbook outlining 

how the Drinking Water 

Regulations will be implemented 

is scheduled for 

release prior to the seminars 

taking place. 

could make significant savings, 

but more importantly 

members will receive information 

speedily, as required. 

Whizz-kid 

So how does it work? Well 

NFGWS Quality Assurance 

Scheme Officer, Jean Gibson, 

is a whizz-kid when it comes 

to this sort of thing. She has 

been using free web-texting 

in her role as secretary of her 

local camogie club for some 

time now. Club members are 

Similar web-text messages can be sent to your GWS members at no cost. 

Important seminars to 

consider regulations 

Committee 

A committee representing the 

Department of the 

Environment, the NFGWS, 

the EPA and other rural 

water stakeholders, has been 

working in recent months, 

drawing up appropriate 

guidelines. 

According to Pat Keane of 

the DoEHLG (a member of 

this committee), the seminars 

are being designed to: 

• explain the Drinking 

Water Regulations; 

• outline the role and 

responsibilities of local 

authorities as Supervisory 

Authority in their area, and 

• focus on what is expected 

of the individual GWS 

under the regulations. 

informed of training, match 

venues etc. through text. 

Jean has a pay-as-you-go 

mobile and after registering 

with her provider via computer, 

she was supplied with a 

password. When she needs to 

communicate with the panel, 

she simply goes into her computer, 

enters her password 

and then types her text message 

into the box provided. 

This is then sent to everybody 

in her camogie folder. 

Folders will include the 

names and mobile numbers of 

each member. According to 

Jean, a scheme might simply 

create a separate folder for 

each district meter area, as 

well as an overall folder. 

Thus, when there is essential 

maintenance work on a section 

of the distribution network, 

only consumers on that 

section are informed. 

It doesn’t matter that various 

panel members will have 

other brands of phone; the 

messages are delivered to any 

mobile phone in the 26 

15 

The impact of the Water 

Services Act will also be 

addressed. 

Venues 

Where a GWS is unable to 

attend the seminar at their 

designated venue, they may 

attend an alternative venue 

by prior arrangement. Venues 

are as follows (dates to be 

confirmed in due course): 

• Hotel Kilmore, Cavan 

• McWilliam Park Hotel, 

Claremorris 

• Hotel Kilkenny, Kilkenny, 

• Lynch South Court Hotel, 

Limerick 

The seminars are to be held 

in the evenings (starting at 

7.30pm) to facilitate attendance 

by GWS management 

committees. 

Counties (schemes in border 

areas, please note!). 

The message doesn’t have 

to be sent immediately, but 

can be scheduled to send at 

any time or date within the 

calendar month. So if you 

swan off to Costa-del- 

Wherever, a reminder of a 

planned meeting will be transmitted 

regardless, because 

you entered it before you left! 

Limitations 

Like any system, there are 

limitations. First, the usual 

character limit of texting 

apply, so you can’t send a 

long letter. Secondly, and 

most importantly, there will 

be gaps as some of your 

members, particularly elderly 

people, won’t have mobile 

phones. These gaps should be 

noted and care taken that a 

neighbour or committee 

member alerts them of the 

contents of the text message. 

Finally, if you’re like me 

and can’t quite master the 

technology, do what I do … 

ask a youngster to help you.


The state of 

the RWP 

The case presented to the 

European Commission in 

June provided much of the 

core data presented to the 

Rural Water Conference by 

Carthage Cusack of the 

Water Services Section, 

DoEHLG. 

Detailing progress under in 

bringing schemes into compliance 

with water quality 

standards, Mr Cusack also 

provided an account of the 

financial drawdown under 

the RWP Capital Investment 

Programme in 2007. 

Sector 

A total of 728 privatelysourced 

schemes, supplying 

50 persons or more (encompassing 

more than 88,000 

households), come under the 

terms of the legislation. 

Of these, 451 scheme were 

listed in Annex 14 as part of 

the case adjudicated on by 

the European Court of 

Justice in November 2002. 

A further 277 schemes 

(mainly in southern counties) 

have been added to this list. 

The upgrade plans set 

down in the National Rural 

Water Monitoring Committee 

Action Plan 2003-2006 continue 

to be implemented. 

In terms of households, the 

upgrading programme is now 

completed in respect of 

60,684 homes. For a further 

10,391 homes, upgrades are 

currently underway. 

Projects that will benefit 

17,000 homes are still at a 

planning stage, but for 

11,000 of those the planning 

process is at an advanced 

stage. 

Timescales for the completion 

of all remaining 

upgrades were revealed by 

Mr Cusack, the latest date 

being 31 December 2008. 

Compliance 

There was heartening news 

in relation to compliance 

with the crucial e-coli standards. 

Recent monitoring has 

shown 626 schemes (86%) in 

compliance, with 102 (14%) 

non-compliant. 

Translated into households, 

92% (80,997) are receiving 

water that complies with the 

ecoli standard, while 7,270 

(8%) are not. 

Cautioning that there is 

more to do, Mr Cusack said 

that while great progress has 

been made, the threat of EU 

sanctions still hangs over 

Ireland. 

Spend 

The drawdown of funds 

under the 2007 RWP allocation 

had increased more than 

5% on the same period in 

2006, with more than 38% 

allocated to early September. 

Having said that, Mr 

Cusack pointed out that six 

councils had not drawn down 

a penny! 

The highest rate of spending 

has been under the ‘new & 

upgrade’ and ‘small scheme’ 

headings (54% and 44% 

respectively), while spending 

on ‘connection to public 

mains’, ‘takeover’ and ‘disinfection/sterilisation’ 

was disappointingly 

low (20.5%, 

23% and 1% respectively). 

More encouraging, spending 

on DBO and advance 

DBO projects (40.66% and 

35% respectively) was well 

up on last year. 

Mr Cusack concluded by 

asking local authorities to 

focus on the priority measures 

required to bring existing 

schemes into compliance. 

Quality Assurance Scheme training was introduced on Tydavnet GWS 

this summer. Jean Gibson (NFGWS Quality Assurance Officer) is pictured 

with Claire Sherlock (Tydavnet GWS) and Dr Siobhán Jordan 

(National Source Protection Pilot Project). 

Treatment alone 

is not enough 

For any group scheme that 

thought the provision of 

state-of-the-art treatment 

facilities was the answer to 

their water quality problems, 

the stark message from 


Officer, Jean Gibson, was 

that treatment of itself cannot 

guarantee quality at the 

consumer’s tap. 

Even in the most modern of 

schemes, it is not possible to 

deliver quality drinking 

water without monitoring, 

checking, inspecting and 

auditing: control is essential 

to ensure success. 

According to Ms Gibson, 

maintaining quality along the 

distribution network is 

emerging as a new priority 

and the Quality Assurance 

Scheme is tailor-made for 

this, as it targets schemes that 

are providing fully treated 

water to their consumers. 

HACCP 

The Hazard Analysis Critical 

Contol Points (HACCP) system 

that forms the basis of 

the NFGWS Quality 

Assurance Scheme provides 

a ‘systematic preventative 

and recording approach to 

quality assurance’. 

In essence, it involves the 

identification of present or 

possible hazards and formulates 

the steps which may be 

taken to minimise or eliminate 

them. 

EPA Recommendation 

Jean Gibson reminded delagates 

that the EPA strongly 

recommends that every GWS 

should obtain certification 

under the NFGWS Quality 

Assurance Scheme. 

Until now, the absence of 

adequate treatment on most 

schemes, meant that implementation 

of this recommendation 

had to be put on hold. 

As most schemes now have 

water treatment in place (or 

will shortly have it) the QA 

scheme is scheduled to be 

rolled out in the coming 

weeks and months. 

Schemes in Monaghan, 

Cavan, Sligo and Limerick 

are being targetted in the first 

instance. 

Ms Gibson concluded by 

reminding schemes that QA 

certification will be a condition 

of subsidy in future. 

16


Updates on pilot projects 

Delegates to the Rural 

Water Services Conference 

heard stimulating updates 

on three important pilot 

projects being run under the 

auspices of the National 

Rural Water Monitoring 

Committee. 

STEDS 

While not directly related to 

the issue of water supply, the 

Septic Tank Effluent 

Drainage System (STEDS) 

project in North Tipperary is 

of major interest to the rural 

water sector, as its outcome is 

certain to have a bearing on 

the future of dispersed settlement 

in the Irish countryside. 

The damaging environmental 

impact of domestic 

wastewater treatment systems 

(septic tanks) is no longer in 

dispute and STEDS is testing 

a simple procedure to prevent 

that damage. 

And while Project Director 

Matt Shortt of North 

Tipperary County Council 

was careful not to overstate 

the success of the project to 

date, the preliminary figures 

are encouraging to say the 

least. 

A trial has been established 

on the outskirts of 

Templemore, Co. Tipperary, 

the site deliberately chosen 

because it presented many 

difficult challenges. 

The STEDS system was 

retrofitted on almost 30 

homes. Construction included 

installation of a fibreglass 

reinforced interceptor tank at 

each property, a 2” pipe network 

laid at a shallow depth 

along the contours of the land 

and a secondary man-made 

treatment system on a site 

that is a fraction of the size of 

a normal wastewater treatment 

plant. 

In theory, the interceptor 

tank retains the problems that 

arise in normal systems, so 

that what is pumped from the 

tank into the network won’t 

cause blockages. 

Mr Shortt said that it would 

take about another six 

months before the true worth 

of the system could be properly 

assessed. 

Rural Water News will 

carry a full feature at that 

stage. 

Rainwater harvesting 

As the cost of water rises, the 

potential of using rainwater 

as an alternative non potable 

supply is being tested in a 

project being conducted in a 

domestic setting (a house in 

Ballinabranna GWS, County 

Carlow) and an agricultural 

setting (a dairy farm at 

Clonalvy, County Meath). 

The project is being run by 

Dublin Institute of 

Technology and three team 

members, Dr Seán Ó hÓgáin, 

Liam McCarton and Anna 

Reid addressed the conference. 

At the domestic site, after a 

six month commissioning 

phase, the quality of the 

water achieved a level comparable 

with drinking water. 

In terms of quantity, the 

Members of the Rainwater Harvesting Project team from Dublin Institute of Technology who addressed delegates 

to the Rural Water Services Conference (l-r) Liam McCarton, Anna Reid and Dr Seán Ó hÓgáin. 

Matt Shortt 

system met the demand for 

toilet flushing, with mains 

water usage being reduced by 

between 22% -41%. 

Problems with ammonia 

and faecal contamination on 

the Clonalvy system are currently 

being addressed with 

the fitting of an improved filtration 

system and better 

sealing around the intake 

pipe. 

The cost-benefit analysis is 

continuing and a full report 

on this project will be carried 

in our next issue. 

Source Protection 

Freshly returned from a 

major Canadian conference 

where the National Source 

Protection Pilot Project at 

Churchill & Oram GWS was 

one of the featured topics, Dr 

Siobhán Jordan provided a 

comprehensive overview of 

the broad range of activities 

being carried out as part of 

this project. 

Since the last conference 

farmward surveys had been 

completed in the catchment, 

as has extensive soil sampling. 

More recently, 181 septic 

tanks were examined, while 

more intrusive inspection has 

begun on some of these. 

Trial source protection 

measures are currently being 

implemented, she said. 

17


18


Blue Hills Consulting is one of the leading consulting engineers providing technical advice to the Group 

Water Scheme sector. We shall be happy to discuss your Group Water Scheme projects regardless of size. 

Please contact Des Joyce for further information. 

10b Northwest Business and Technology Park 

Carrick on Shannon, Co. Leitrim 

Regional 

Reports 

Connacht 

Region 

by Paul Connolly and 

Joe Gallagher 

Leitrim 

Sliabh an Iarann GWS is to 

be included in the 

Roscommon DBO bundle. 

This is the amalgamation of 

three GWS – Aughnasheelin 

GWS, Miskaun GWS and 

Mullagharve GWS. 

*** 

Construction is substantially 

complete on advance works 

contract no. 1. This contract 

involved the installation of 

water conservation infrastructure 

on all schemes in 

DBO bundle 1, except 

Milltown, Barnarusheen and 

Caherlistrane. 

*** 

Advance works contract no. 

T: 071 962 1875 

F: 071 962 2859 

W: www.bluehills.ie 

E: info@bluehills.ie 

2 – installation of interconnecting 

pipework, rising 

mains and water conservation 

infrastructure on Milltown 

and Caherlistrane – is substantially 

complete. Bulk 

meter installation is ongoing, 

as is pipe bursting on 

Caherlistrane. 

*** 

Advance works contract no. 

3 – installation of water conservation 

infrastructure on 

Barnarusheen and Cleggan – 

is also nearing completion. 

*** 

The 4th meeting of the 

Galway DBO 1 LMC was 

held on 10 September in the 

Menlo Park Hotel with 11 

schemes represented. Both 

Ryan Hanley and TSSL 

(DBO Contractor) provided 

reports on progress to date. 

Galway 

Take-over-certificates have 

been issued for all of the treatment 

plants in DBO bundle 1, 

with the exception of New Inn 

GWS, which is pending resolution 

of a number of source 

issues. However, the plant has 

been producing treated water 

since February. 

The view from Inis Meáin GWS reservoir. Inis Meáin is part of the Galway DBO bundle 1 contract. 

19


The meeting was chaired by 

Daniel Flaherty of 

Cloonluane GWS. The next 

LMC meeting is scheduled 

for 5 December. 

*** 

The official opening of DBO 

1 schemes will take place 

soon. Ceremonies will be held 

at Ardrahan, Caherlistrane 

and Rinn-Killeeneen. 

*** 

Ryan Hanley Consulting 

Engineers are currently 

assessing the tender documents 

returned in early 

September for DBO bundle 2. 

Rural Water News understands 

that schemes in the 

bundle will be contacted in 

the coming weeks. 

*** 

Kiltiernan GWS held its first 

committee meeting on 26 

July. This is one of several 

Galway schemes formed as a 

result of recent amalgamations. 

Officers were elected at 

a subsequent meeting on 13 

August. 

Mayo 

Six DBO plants in bundle 1 

are up and running, while the 

existing treatment plant at 

Belderrig is also being run by 

Earthtech (Ire.) Ltd. (ETIL). 

In our last report, five plants 

were operational and it had 

been anticipated that the following 

additional plants 

would be commissioned 

before the end of August – 

Lough Mask/Creevagh, 

Kilmovee/Urlaur and Lough 

Belderrig GWS water treatment plant, is being run as part of the first Mayo DBO bundle. 

Carra (incorporating Ballyglass/Carnacon, 

Banogues/ 

Ballintubber & Rathnacreeva). 

As of the end of September, 

however, only the Lough 

Carra treatment plant was 

fully operational. 

20


*** 

Fahy/Drummindoo plant was 

to be operational by late 

December, but a site meeting 

on Thursday, 27 September 

was told that March 2008 is 

the likely completion date. 

*** 

Ballycroy plant is supplying 

media filtered water into the 

network. There is, however, 

a continuing serious problem 

of UFW on the network and 

the plant cannot be fully 

commissioned until this has 

been addressed. A contract 

for the replacement of 5km 

of critical mains has been 

approved, with work commencing 

immediately. 

*** 

In light of the long delay in 

completing the treatment 

plant at Glencorrib (due to a 

local legal dispute), the committee 

of Funshinagh/Cross 

GWS is planning to reverse 

an earlier decision to amalgamate 

with the Glencorrib 

scheme and to take water 

from the proposed plant. 

Members of Funshinagh/ 

Cross GWS will be asked to 

back their committee’s view 

that it would be best to pursue 

an independent upgrade. 

Funshinagh/Cross already 

has disinfection and UV 

treatment in place. 

*** 

The tendering process for the 

second Mayo DBO bundle is 

now completed and (as predicted 

in our last issue) the 

contract has been awarded to 

Treatment Systems Services 

Ltd (TSSL). 

An information evening for 

the schemes involved will be 

held on Thursday, 18 October, 

in the Regional Training 

Centre, Castlebar at 8pm. 

Ryan Hanley Consultant 

Engineers, Mayo County 

Council and the National 

Federation of Group Water 

Schemes will have representatives 

at the meeting. 

The estimated overall completion 

date for this bundle is 

March 2009. 

*** 

Advance works contract 2 

(inter-connecting pipework 

for amalgamating schemes in 

DBO bundle 2) was awarded 

to Glenkill Civil Engineering 

Ltd. Work on this contract is 

progressing well and the estimated 

completion date is 

May 2008. 

Schemes benefitting from 

interconnecting under this 

contract 

include 

Cuilmore/Burrishoole, 

Bofeenaun/Rathkell/Derryhillagh/ 

Lahardan, Cloonmore/ 

Rooskey, Fahy/Kilmaclasser/ 

Drummindoo, Callow/ 

Meelick and Sraheens. 

Continued on page 27 

Ulster 

Region 

by Jean Gibson 

Cavan 

A Cavan County Federation 

meeting was held on 13 

August. A presentation was 

given by Colm Brady, who 

went through the details of 

the new Drinking Water 

Regulations and the Water 

Services Act. Schemes were 

also given information on the 


Scheme. This will be rolled 

out shortly. 

*** 

Upgrading works contracts 

are due to commence shortly 

on Corlough, Annagh, 

Dhuish and Clifferna. 

*** 

Contracts for Phase 6 works 

of the Annagh GWS were 

signed on 3 September. This 

will see network improvements, 

installation of bulk 

meters on old pipework, 

installation of chlorine units at 

reservoirs and extension of 

the scheme to Roskeeragh, 

Belturbet. 

*** 

East Cavan LMC met on 4 

September. Update reports 

was given by Niall McCaffrey 

(T. J. O’Connor & Associates) 

and Matt Kelly (Veolia 

Water). Process changes are 

Members of three County Donegal schemes – Bunn GWS, Meenabool 

GWS and Townawully GWS met in July to share information and discuss 

issues of mutual interest. The meeting was held in Townawully and 

included an inspection tour of ongoing upgrade works. 

Brian MacDonald of the NFGWS briefed the schemes on the implications 

of the new Drinking Water Regulations and the Water Services Act. 

being carried out on a number 

of plants at the moment. 

Problems with algae arose on 

some of the lake sources, particularly 

in August. Although 

the algae may be naturally 

occurring, schemes were 

encouraged to protect their 

sources and to monitor activity 

around them. Progress on 

the take-over of the reservoirs 

has been slow, but the consulting 

engineers are working to 

get these works completed. 

*** 

Sympathy is extended to the 

family & friends of Kathleen 

Brady, former, longstanding 

Secretary of the Kill GWS 

who passed away recently. 

*** 

The West Cavan LMC met on 

18 July. It was reported that 

carbon has been installed in 

the Doobally & Gowlan 

plants and that the Glangevlin 

plant has been switched on. 

*** 

The South West Cavan LMC 

meeting was held on 4 

September. All plants have 

been operating satisfactorily. 

*** 

Lavagh/Ballyheelan GWS 

have appointed Seán 

Reynolds as manager. We 

wish Seán every success in his 

new position. 

Seán Reynolds (left) recently appointed manager of Lavagh-Ballyheelan 

GWS, with scheme caretaker, Eddie Heslin. Both men attended the distribution 

network training in Dundalk on 28 September. 

21


Cavan schemes get 

thumbs-up as 

County Manager 

clears the air 

The Chairperson of Cavan 

Federation of Group Water 

Schemes, Michael Mulvey, 

has welcomed an assurance 

from County Manager, Jack 

Keyes, that he has ‘total 

admiration and support’ for 

the GWS sector and that 

there is no question of any 

legal action being taken 

against group schemes in 

the wake of the recent phenol 

contamination incident. 

Mr Keyes was addressing 

representatives from schemes 

across the county, as well as 

NFGWS personnel, at an 

Monaghan 

Magheracloone GWS has 

warned its members about 

the companies that are selling 

unnecessary and expensive 

water treatment systems to 

their consumers through 

pressure sales techniques. 

The scheme used its recent 

AGM and the ‘local news’ 

section of the print media to 

hammer home the message 

that these companies are 

operating a scam. 

*** 

Other areas in the county – 

most notably Aughnashalvey 

– have been targetted lately 

by these companies. Over 

€2,000 is being spent on 

systems, with an additional 

maintenance contract costing 

€150 annually. 

*** 

Truagh Group Water Scheme 

is currently upgrading valves 

and chambers along its mains 

network. 

*** 

The contract to replace meters 

and valves on Tydavnet 

emergency meeting on 

Monday 23 July. 

This followed local media 

reports that schemes might be 

held legally liable. These 

quoted a Council source. 

Reassuring those present 

that he has ‘absolutely and 

utterly no lack of confidence’ 

in the capacity of group 

schemes to conduct their 

businesses, Mr Keyes said 

that he fully accepted the 

‘need for action’ in the wake 

of any reports that might suggest 

otherwise. 

He added that the reported 

comments in two Cavan 

Group Water Scheme is now 

completed, as is the contract 

to install bulk meters and 

valves on Drumgole GWS. 

*** 

Tenders for the replacement 

of meters on 

Corduff/Corracharra GWS 

were opened on 3 July. 

*** 

Emyvale village in the north 

of the county will connect to 

the Glaslough/Tyholland 

GWS supply this month. This 

is the second instance that a 

group water scheme in 

Monaghan will provide water 

to a public scheme. 

Last year Drum village was 

connected to the Drumgole 

water supply. 

*** 

A new publicly-sourced GWS 

has been constructed at 

Tattyreagh North, near 

Annyalla. 

*** 

Killanny GWS is continuing 

its attempts to reduce consumption 

and leakage. Night 

newspapers required both 

‘retraction and clarification’. 

Annoyance 

The meeting in the council 

offices was chaired by 

Michael Mulvey, who 

explained that there was 

widespread annoyance at 

what had appeared in the 

local press. He added: 

‘The fact that these comments 

were attributed to the 

county council could only 

have one result: the undermining 

of public confidence in 

the county’s group schemes. 

‘This was all the more disappointing 

as the relationship 

between the GWS sector and 

Cavan County Council had 

always been one of partnership 

and co-operation. 

Unacceptable 

Representatives of the 

schemes said that the reported 

media comments were totally 

unacceptable, adding that 

individual consumers had 

contacted them to voice their 

concerns. 

time step tests conducted in 

one district metered area 

revealed numerous leaks that 

have now been fixed. 

As a result, water demand was 

reduced by about 350 m 3 from 

2,100 m 3 per day to 1,750 m 3 . 

*** 

There was a lively meeting of 

the Liaison Monitoring 

Committee on 18 July as 

schemes sought reassurance 

regarding the phenol crisis that 

hit East Cavan DBO bundle. 

Three points, in particular, 

were put to Richard Dujardin: 

1. media allegations suggesting 

that Veolia had endangered 

human health by 

purchasing contaminated 

chemicals ‘on the cheap’; 

2. fear that a similar situation 

might arise in relation to 

chemicals used in the 

Monaghan plants; 

3. the knock-on effect that 

these reports were having 

consumer confidence. 

Responding, Mr Dujardin, 

explained that the company 

Speaking after the meeting, 

Michael Mulvey said: 

‘We greatly appreciate the 

effort made by the county 

manager and his senior officials 

to meet with us at such 

short notice to address this 

issue. The remarks of the 

county manager were warmly 

received by the GWS activists 

present and were welcomed 

unanimously. 

Activists 

Thanking the GWS activists 

from across the county ‘who 

took time out from their own 

busy work lives to be present’, 

Mr Mulvey continued. 

‘This meeting was designed 

to clear the air and to put the 

message out to rural consumers 

in Cavan that they can 

have full confidence in their 

group water scheme service.’ 

An agreed clarification published 

in the local papers, 

stated unequivocally that the 

schemes affected by the phenol 

crisis had done everything 

legally required of them. 

dealt in good faith with its 

normal supplier and there 

was no question of it taking 

risks with consumer health. 

Both they and their supplier 

had been ‘caught and misled’ 

and the documentary evidence 

confirms this. 

Veolia had operated on a 

basis of trust with their suppliers. 

This would no longer 

be the case. Controls had 

been put in place to ensure 

traceability right back to the 

production phase. This meant 

that there could be no reoccurance 

of the East Cavan 

incident in any Veolia-managed 

plant. 

Mr Dujardin accepted that the 

incident had damaged consumer 

confidence in the 

region. 

He pledged that Veolia would 

play its part in rebuilding confidence 

and concluded by 

wishing a local man, Mark 

Rooney, well in his new role 

as regional manager for the 

company. 

22


23


Leinster Region 

by Barry Deane & 

Joe Gallagher 

Carlow 

St. Mullins Parish GWS 

recently began their universal 

metering project. The contract 

was awarded to 

Shareridge who started on 

site in mid September. 

The scheme also recently carried 

out step tests on their 

network, looking for leaks 

and identifying critical mains 

to be replaced. 

Following a series of interviews 

the scheme has 

appointed a new part-time 

caretaker. 

*** 

Ballinabranna GWS recently 

carried out a pump test on 

their new source which proved 

to be a very productive. The 

scheme’s DBO treatment 

plant is nearing completion 

and should be commissioned 

shortly. 

Kildare 

Usk/Gormanstown GWS is 

considering a major upgrade 

on parts of their distribution 

network. This includes a 

relocation of their reservoir. 

The group is in the process of 

taking on a consultant to put 

a design together. 

*** 

Cyril Buggy has been recently 

appointed as the new Rural 

Water Liaison Officer for 

Kildare. We wish him well in 

the position. 

*** 

Work is progressing on the 

construction of a number of 

publicly-sourced group 

schemes within the county. 

Milfarm and Lady Chapel 

schemes are now complete, 

while a small extension is 

currently being finished at 

Oldcourt GWS. It is hoped 

that work can commence 

shortly on the Clondown and 

Mount Prospect GWSs. 

Mount Prospect is currently 

seeking a section 85 agreement 

from Offaly Co. Co. as 

some of its pipework will be 

in County Offaly. 

Kilkenny 

The rural water section of 

Kilkenny County Council 

bade farewell to Michael 

Delahunty at the June meeting 

of the rural water monitoring 

committee. Michael 

has served as Rural Water 

Liaison Officer in recent 

years. He is replaced by 

Michael Arthurs and we wish 

both men the best of luck in 

their new positions. 

*** 

Clifden, Cuffesgrange and 

Castleinch GWS treatment 

plants have all been commissioned 

and are operating 

well. Castlewarren GWS has 

begun process proving and 

will hopefully be commissioned 

shortly. 

*** 

The borehole at Ballycallan 

GWS was successfully 

drilled by Patrick Briody Ltd. 

*** 

Work will be recommencing 

shortly on the mains upgrade 

on Coolagh/Caherlesk GWS. 

*** 

At this stage a number of 

small upgrading works are 

complete in the county and a 

number of others will hopefully 

be completed by the end 

of the year. 

Laois 

Ballacolla GWS is finished 

its universal metering contract. 

The meters were 

installed by the contractor 

David Walsh. Meehans have 

successfully drilled one of 

the production boreholes, 

with the other to follow in the 

next few weeks. It is hoped 

that work will commence 

before the end of the year on 

the remainder of the scheme, 

including the interconnecting 

pipe between the Ballacolla 

and Kileaney GWS. 

*** 

Killenard GWS was formally 

taken-in-charge by Laois 

County Council in June, following 

an upgrade. 

*** 

There are a number of proposals 

for publicly-sourced 

group schemes with the 

council at present and it is 

hoped that some work can 

commence on these in 2007. 

Louth 

A sustained investment programme 

in rural water services 

across County Louth in 

recent years took another step 

forward on 27 September, 

when representatives of 

group water schemes attended 

a training course on managing 

distribution networks. 

Delivered by Frank Harvey 

in the County Council offices 

in Dundalk, the Water 

Services National Training 

Group training course was 

organised jointly by Louth 

Co. Co. and the NFGWS. 

Louth schemes represented at 

the training included 

Ballymakenny GWS, 

Drybridge/Waterunder GWS, 

Mountain Park GWS, 

Sheepgrange GWS and 

Tullyallen GWS. 

Representatives of two 

schemes from Cavan and one 

from Meath also attended. 

This is the second joint initiative 

organised with group 

schemes in County Louth this 

year and Jean Gibson of the 

NFGWS urged those present 

to avail of the Quality 

Assurance Scheme when it is 

rolled out shortly. 

Frank Harvey (standing, second from left), pictured with representatives of schemes from across Louth, at 

distribution network training in the County Council offices in Dundalk. Also pictured is Jean Gibson (NFGWS) 

(standing fourth from left), as well as representatives of schemes in the Cavan South West DBO bundle. 

24


Carlow Precast Tanks Ltd. 

Manufacturers and Suppliers of Effluent Tanks for 

Sewage Treatment Systems, Water Reservoirs, Pumping Chambers, 

Culverts, Attenuation Tanks and Special Products. 

Leading suppliers of reservoirs for small and medium size 

Group Water Schemes. 

Tank capacities range from 1,000 gallons to 53,000 gallons. 

Delivered and installed 21 days from receipt of order. 

Carlow Precast Tanks Ltd. 

Kilnock, Ballon, Co. Carlow, Ireland 

Tel. +353 59 9159322 

Mobile +353 87 6592199 

Fax. +353 59 9159202 

Email: sales@carlowprecasttanks.com 

Web www.carlowprecasttanks.com 

25


Performance Management System (PMS) training was held in the Seven Oaks Hotel in Carlow on 3 October. This catered for group schemes that are 

due to start their O&M contracts shortly. Representatives of Carlow County Council Rural Water Services staff were present, as was Seán Jennings 

and Diane Carroll of EPS. Schemes represented included Kilanerin, Ballinabranna, St Mullins Parish, Castleinch, Cuffesgrange and Clifden. 

Offaly 

The County Council held a 

number of information meetings 

to update group water 

schemes on implications of 

the New Drinking Water 

Regulations (S.I. 106 of 

2007). 

These meetings were well 

attended, with schemes voicing 

their concerns in relation 

to the extra work load that 

will be placed on voluntary 

committees. They also had 

issues in relation to the sampling 

of water – such as 

where the samples are taken 

from and also if the GWS 

will be notified when a sample 

is taken so that they will 

be able to take a sample for 

their own records. 

*** 

Rath GWS Stage 4 upgrade is 

due to start in early 

November. Mile Tree GWS 

is proposing to carry out a 

mains extension and this 

work is due to start in Mid 

October. Ballyboy GWS is to 

submit final contract documents 

for approval. 

*** 

Mountlucas GWS experienced 

contamination of their 

borewell during the heavy 

rain period and have since 

drilled a new borehole to 

solve this problem. This situation 

highlights the importance 

of source protection for 

all group water schemes. 

Wexford 

Kilanerin GWS treatment 

plant is well under way, with 

most of the civil items completed 

and the mechanical 

and electrical equipment 

being installed. The new rising 

main is now complete 

and it is hoped that it can be 

brought into production soon. 

*** 

Construction at Borrmount 

GWS treatment plant is also 

progressing well, with the 

site to be fenced off shortly. 

*** 

There have been a number of 

delays in getting the 

Blackstairs treatment plant 

off the ground, but construction 

commenced in August 

and will be ongoing until the 

end of the year. This is the 

largest plant in the South 

Leinster DBO bundle and 

will supply over 1,000 houses 

when completed. 

*** 

Ballymoney GWS recently 

installed disinfection on their 

three sources. This will bring 

their water into compliance 

with the drinking water regulations 

until the Gorey 

regional scheme has the 

capacity to take in the group. 

Wicklow 

Well drilling has been successfully 

completed at 

Askinagap GWS. 

*** 

Baltyboys GWS treatment 

plant is nearing completion 

and is due to be commissioned 

in November. 

*** 

The new pipeline to connect 

Oldcourt and Manor Kilbride 

to the Blessington regional 

supply is ongoing. It is hoped 

that further upgrade works 

can be progressed in the coming 

months. 

*** 

We wish Martina Byrne well 

in her new role as Rural 

Water Liaison Officer for 

Wicklow County Council. 

CONWELL CONTRACTS LTD 

Lismalore, Brookeborough, County Fermanagh 

BT94 4EU 

Tel.: 048-89531296 

Fax: 048-89531933 

E-mail: conwellcontracts@btconnect.com 

• Civil engineering 

• Directional drilling & utilities contractor 

• Water & sewerage distribution mains 

• Pumping stations & reservoirs 

• Specialists in trenchless technology 

26


Munster 

Region 

by Joe Gallagher & 

Barry Deane 

Clare 

Since they started operating 

the Clare treatment plants, 

the DBO operator (EPS Ltd.) 

has reported that the raw 

water in some of the lakes 

sources varies on a week-toweek 

basis. This, they say, 

has caused problems with 

treatment and, in turn, has 

impacted on the quality of 

drinking water supplied to 

some of the GWS. 

*** 

On the Kilmaley-Inagh and 

Dysart-Toonagh schemes, 

process changes have been 

introduced to allow a longer 

contact time for the aluminium, 

so that levels can be 

monitored. EPS will supervise 

all back-washes and both 

plants are to be monitored 

more frequently. 

*** 

A new borehole drilled on the 

Killone scheme has proved 

successful to date. This is 

being used in addition to the 

lake source that has been 

problematic. EPS is currently 

considering drilling a borehole 

on Dysart-Toonagh also. 

*** 

Lissycasey GWS experienced 

low water levels in 

their lake source for a number 

of days but the scheme 

overcame this problem by 

diverting water into the lake 

from a nearby source. The 

cause of the drop in water 

levels on the lake is still 

being investigated. 

Cork 

In South Cork work on the 

upgrade of Ballykilty GWS 

is due to start this month 

(Oct.). The contract involves 

both a mains and treatment 

upgrade prior to the scheme 

being taken in charge by the 

county council. 

*** 

In North Cork, Curraglass 

GWS is currently considering 

a supplementary supply, 

while South Cork Co. Co. is 

continuing to progress a 

number of takeovers. 

*** 

Works on Ballyglass and 

Carrignadoura schemes are 

almost complete and the 

local authority is still awaiting 

a decision from a number 

of other groups with regard to 

taking-in-charge. 

*** 

North Cork Rural Water 

Monitoring Committee met 

in August. 

*** 

The recently-appointed manager of Kilmaley-Inagh GWS, Ireland’s 

largest group water scheme, Noel Carmody (centre) pictured at the rural 

water services conference with NFGWS development officer, Joe 

Gallagher (left) and Kilmaley-Inagh Secretary, Tom Burke (right). 

27


Tankardstown GWS has 

upgraded valves and added 

some small extensions to sections 

of its distribution mains 

recently. It is hoped that work 

will start on their treatment 

plant in the coming months. 

This will bring a new reservoir 

and rising mains into use. 

*** 

Killally GWS has upgraded 

large sections of their distribution 

network and are currently 

awaiting the completion 

of pressure tests, so the mains 

can be brought into service. 

*** 

Graigue GWS has recently 

installed new treatment facilities. 

The scheme had problems 

with manganese. 

Limerick 

The majority of the civil and 

M&E works are completed 

on all 24 DBO sites. 

Killeady/Ballagh GWS, Co. Limerick, treatment plant and reservoir. 

However, the following are 

the major outstanding works: 

• a new production well at 

Granagh; 

• a new link pipeline at 

Kileedy; 

• a new trial well at 

Coshma; 

• a yield test on the new 

source at Ballinvreena. 

*** 

Jer Keohane has been carrying 

out a detailed walk-over 

study of the sources which 

had shown high levels of 

nitrate or bacteria and is due 

to issue a report shortly, with 

recommendations for further 

works. All sources that did 

have high levels of nitrate 

were below the limit of 50 

mg/l in July. 

*** 

The DBO Steering Group 

approved a cryptosporidium 

risk assessment for all 

sources. T. J. O’Connor & 

Associates (client’s reps) are 

currently visiting all schemes 

as part of this work. The 

assessment will determine the 

risk level for each source and, 

where required, will recommend 

appropriate measures. 

*** 

A well-attended Liaison 

Monitoring Committee meeting 

was held on 12 September. 

Two of the GWS present felt 

that their plant might have 

been under-designed. The 

Client’s Representative (T. J. 

O’Connor & Associates) 

undertook to look at both 

schemes and to examine their 

night flow readings to see if 

the assessed UFW is correct. 

If these plants are underdesigned 

then a case may be 

made for them to be upsized. 

*** 

EPS were complimented on 

their handling of a breakdown 

on two schemes during 

a Bank Holiday weekend. 

The schemes were back up 

and running in a very short 

time and members didn’t 

experience long water outages 

as a result. 

28


Tipperary 

North Tipperary Rural Water 

Monitoring Committee met 

in September. Quite a number 

of upgrading contracts 

are now complete and two 

thirds of North Tipperary’s 

allocaton under the RWP has 

been spent. 

Continued from page 21 

*** 

Tenders for advance works 

contract no. 3 are currently 

being assessed and an 

announcement on the successful 

bidder is imminent. 

The contract includes critical 

mains & metering work on 

PBKS GWS (incorporating 

Keelogues, Ballyvary & 

Prizon/Lisnolan) and 

Drummindoo GWS. About 

80km of mains is to be 

replaced under this contract. 

*** 

Work on the connection of 

Keenagh GWS to a public 

main began in July. Three 

further schemes scheduled to 

connect to a public supply – 

Mayo Abbey, Cullentra and 

Portagh/Monard – will go to 

tender this month (October), 

while Currykirwan is due to 

go to tender also. Work is 

continuing on Rosmoney 

GWS where a connection 

contract began in May. 

*** 

The takeover of five schemes 

has been completed so far 

this year. The schemes 

include Kilcummin, Moyne/ 

Meelick, Rathoma/Ballymachola, 

Tooreen/ Fotish and 

Treenaur. 

*** 

The Cloontia/Doocastle network 

has been upgraded – in 

preparation for takeover – and 

unaccounted for water has 

been substantially reduced. 

This was one of the schemes 

highlighted in an RTE 

Primetime report in 2006. 

*** 

A further 12 schemes are 

being upgraded in advance of 

takeover. Work on Shraheens 

was completed in September. 

*** 

Upgrading works (mains 

replacement) is ongoing on 

Kilbarron GWS. 

*** 

Other mains replacement 

upgrades have taken place on 

Kilriffith, Kilmore and 

Kileen GWS. 

while construction is underway 

on four others – 

Woodfield/Ballure GWS, 

Milehill GWS, Rathcash 

GWS and Knockmore GWS. 

The remainder are either due 

to commence work in the 

New Year or are going to 

tender in November. 

*** 

Tender documents are awaited 

in respect to the minor 

upgrade of Rossport GWS 

(disinfection/sterilisation). 

Kilgalligan GWS and 

Cornboy GWS will begin 

their upgrades this month 

(October). 

Five other schemes have 

completed minor upgrades so 

far this year: Cloonmore/ 

Cloonlavish, Roybingham, 

Shammer, Loughenamon 

and Pollavaddy. 

*** 

The Liaison Monitoring 

Committee for DBO bundle 1 

met on 10 September in 

Day’s Hotel Castlebar. 

*** 

A new group water scheme 

has been constructed in 

Whitehall, Ballingarry. 

*** 

A number of other contracts 

have been agreed and works 

will be commencing shortly. 

*** 

Schemes were well represented. 

Earthtech and Ryan 

staff Hanley were also present. 

The next LMC meeting 

is scheduled for Monday 3 

December in the same venue. 

*** 

A meeting of the Mayo DBO 

Steering Group was held in 

Castlebar on Wednesday 3 

October. Concerns were 

expressed at continuing 

delays in completing projects 

in DBO bundle 1. Members 

were updated on efforts to 

resolve the dispute at 

Glencorrib GWS, where 

work on constructing a treatment 

plant is at a standstill. 

*** 

A course on network maintanence 

& management was 

held in the TF Royal Hotel on 

11 September. Many interesting 

topics were covered and 

even the most seasoned GWS 

operatives learned a lot. 

Thanks is due to Frank 

Harvey for delivering this 

In South Tipperary, tenders 

have been returned for the 

pipework contract for Toor 

GWS. This scheme is connecting 

to the public mains 

and it is hoped that a contractor 

can be appointed and that 

work will commence over 

the next few weeks. 

course in a most informative 

and jovial manner. 

*** 

Best wishes to Marcella 

Moran who has moved to the 

the Water Services 

Section/Captial Works of 

Mayo County Council. Her 

position as Manager of 

Castlebar Regional Centre 

has been filled by Maura 

Lawless and we wish her well. 

Bottom: Kilmeena GWS water treatment plant, constructed as part of the first Mayo DBO bundle. Top: Major 

infrastructural work continues at Fahy GWS, but the December deadline for completion seems in doubt. 

29


Roscommon 

The DBO tender documents 

have been received and are 

currently being assessed by 

the Client’s Representative. 

When this is completed a 

meeting of all GWS will be 

held to discuss the Design 

Build and the Operation & 

Maintenance costs. 

*** 

The advanced works contract 

for the interconnecting 

pipework of the Mid 

Roscommon, Curracreigh 

and Oran Ballintober Co-ops 

are all due back by mid 

October and works should 

start on these GWS before 

the end of the year. 

*** 

Both the Corracreigh GWS 

Co-op and the Oran 

Ballintober GWS Co-op have 

advertised to employ a manager. 

This position will be 

funded at a 100% for the first 

two years and will assist 

greatly in the amalgamation 

process for all group water 

schemes involved. The Mid 

Roscommon Co-op will also 

qualify for this funding and 

will be starting its own 

recruitment process in the 

next few weeks. 

*** 

The payment of the 15% 

local contribution for the 

sites for sources, reservoirs 

and treatment plants is now 

due. Each GWS should lodge 

its local contribution to the 

amalgamated co-op as soon 

as possible, as advance works 

will commence shortly. 

*** 

A meeting was held of the 

Derrinacartha GWS to discuss 

the options available to 

them since the recent water 

testing proved unsuccessful. 

This meeting was well 

attended by scheme members 

They will now be asked to 

vote on which option they 

wish to take for the future of 

the GWS. 

*** 

Unaccounted for water still 

proves to be an issue and all 

schemes are asked to read 

their individual consumer 

meters to identify leaks and 

wastage and to alert members 

if they have high usage. 

*** 

Any GWS wishing to replace 

critical mains on identified 

sections of their network 

contact the client’s representative 

for the bundle, as these 

works can be carried out as 

part of the advance works. 

Sligo 

The fourth Liaison 

Monitoring Committee meeting 

for the two Sligo DBO 

bundles took place on 4 

September, with the bundles 

meeting jointly. It was decided 

that in future separate 

LMC meetings should be 

held for each bundle. The 

dates for the next meetings 

are Sligo North West 20 

November and Sligo South 

East 4 December. 

*** 

Sligo DBO steering group 

met on 24 July in the county 

council chamber. A further 

meeting will be held on 23 

October. 

*** 

A special general meeting 

was held by Keash GWS in 

order to formally approve an 

application for funding to 

Clár towards further critical 

mains replacement. 

The meeting was attended by 

Kathleen McTiernan, Rural 

Water Liaison Officer with 

Sligo County Council and by 

Paul Connolly Development 

Officer. 

Mr Connolly applauded the 

committee for their considerable 

efforts in running their 

scheme in what could only be 

described as ‘difficult circumstances’, 

given that 

UFW rates are unacceptably 

high. 

If approved for Clár funding, 

this upgrade work should go 

a long way to sorting out this 

problem. 

Ballintrillick GWS water treatment plant and reservoir. The plant was constructed as part of the Sligo North West DBO bundle and is operated by 

Treatment Systems Services Ltd. 

30


STRUCTURES OF NATIONAL FEDERATION 

OF GROUP WATER SCHEMES 

The National Federation of Group Water Schemes was formally established as a Co-operative Society in 1998. 

OFFICERS 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

Brendan O’Mahony Chairperson John Heslin Roscommon FGWS 

Michael John Kilgannon Vice-Chairperson Jimmy Walsh Laois FGWS 

Tony Prendiville Secretary Tom Burke Clare FGWS 

Vincent Farrelly Joint Treasurer John O’Donnell Galway FGWS 

Paddy Ward Joint Treasurer Joe Harte Mayo FGWS 

Michael (Mac) Boyd Monaghan FGWS 

Mike Reddy 

Carlow/Wexford FGWS 

Gerald McCarthy Special Advisor 

NATIONAL CO-ORDINATOR/CEO 

Seán Clerkin National Co-ordinator Tel.: 047-72766 

24 Old Cross Square Fax: 047-72788 

Monaghan Mobile: 087-2808472 

E-mail: sean@nfgws.ie 

DEPUTY NATIONAL CO-ORDINATOR 

Colm Brady Deputy National Co-ordinator Tel.: 047-72766 

24 Old Cross Square Mobile: 087-2300214 

Monaghan 

E-mail: colm@nfgws.ie 

STAFF 

MEMBERS 

Barry Deane NFGWS Development Officer Tel.: 057-9328068 

12 Henry Street Mobile: 087-6866099 

Tullamore, County Offaly 

E-mail: barry@nfgws.ie 

Joe Gallagher NFGWS Development Officer Tel./Fax: 057-9328068 

12 Henry Street Mobile: 087-2808471 

Tullamore, County Offaly 

E-mail: joe@nfgws.ie 

Catríona Greaney 

Paul Connolly 

Karen Mulkeen 

NFGWS DBO Validation Officer 

Unit 29, N17 Business Park Tel./Fax: 093-28712 

Galway Rd, Mobile: 087-2357157 

Tuam, County Galway 

E-mail: catriona@nfgws.ie 

NFGWS Development Officer 

Enterprise Centre Tel./Fax: 094-9381802 

Aiden Street Mobile: 087-7478399 

Kiltimagh, County Mayo 

E-mail: paul@nfgws.ie 

NFGWS Health & Safety Officer 

Unit 29, N17 Business Park Tel./Fax: 094-9381802 

Galway Rd., Mobile: 087-2934297 

Tuam, County Galway 

E-mail: karen@nfgws.ie 

Brian MacDonald NFGWS Research & Evaluation Officer Tel.: 042-9742228 

Boyher, Rockcorry Mobile: 087-2028051 

County Monaghan 

E-mail: brian@nfgws.ie 

Jean Gibson NFGWS DBO Quality Assurance Officer Tel.: 047-72766 

24 Old Cross Square Mobile: 087-2509225 

Monaghan 

E-mail: jean@nfgws.ie 

Julie Brannigan NFGWS Clerical Officer Tel.: 047-72766 

24 Old Cross Square Fax: 047-72788 

Monaghan 

E-mail: julie@nfgws.ie 

31


32

EPA ups the ante

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?