March start on east Mayo water scheme

A CONTRACTOR is due to be appointed in early March to deliver a new water supply to residents on the Lisduff/Cleragh water scheme in Kiltimagh.

Tenders are being published around now and will be back in February, with Mayo County Council also submitting a planning application for the project.

It is hoped works on the ground to install four kilometres of piping to 34 homes will get underway in March, with an expected completion by the end of June or July, a meeting in Kiltimagh was told.

Local Councillor Adrian Forkan convened the meeting to bring clarity on where the project is at, with residents deeply frustrated as they continue a campaign that has been running for more than a decade now.

As part of the project, a pipe from the Kiltimagh treatment plant will run under the Glore river, Michael McDermott from the council's rural water department explained.

He clarified that the council has submitted an application for a connection to Uisce Éireann within the last three weeks.

Prior to this they would not allow a connection until the treatment plant was upgraded, and those works are now complete.

The project will be funded 85% by the department, with a 15% local contribution, and residents were advised that their contribution may well be up a bit on what was originally priced some years ago.

Mr. McDermott gave a commitment to meet with residents again in February, with Councillor Forkan saying they will be keeping the pressure on to deliver the project.