Mayo's group water schemes encouraged to move over to Irish Water

GROUP water schemes in Mayo are being encouraged to take steps to have their supplies taken in charge by Irish Water.

Fifty schemes in Mayo are currently going through the process, and the criteria was outlined to councillors at the monthly Westport-Belmullet Municipal District meeting.

The first step involves the scheme approaching Mayo County Council, who will assist them with their application and any upgrade works required, which are 100% funded.

The council has written to all 200 schemes in the county informing them that they will be making a submission later this year to the next multi-annual rural water programme.

There is going to be a major emphasis in that programme on funding allocated to schemes for taking in charge.

As group water scheme committee members get older, there is a risk of losing their local knowledge of the system on the ground and councillors encouraged schemes to apply to be taken in charge.

Tribute was paid to all those who had served their local communities through the schemes over the last 30 to 40 years.

Councillor Paul McNamara said the new programme presents a marvellous opportunity to get the remaining 200 schemes taken over. He welcomed the 100% funding available for ugrades.

He knew of one scheme where it was down to two members and those people had passed away, with no one to pick up the baton.

Councillor Peter Flynn agreed that as the age profile of committees gets older, all the knowledge sits in that group and there was a risk of losing it.

This opened the door for scheme to transfer responsibility over to the council and Irish Water and he appealed to schemes to get involved.