Water & Sewerage: Group Water Schemes

Rural Water Service

Mayo County Council is responsible for functions previously executed by the Department of the Environment in relation to the establishment and administration of Group Water Schemes throughout the County.  This provides an additional opportunity for the Council to further the cause of subsidiarity, working hand in hand with local communities in the provision and maintenance of that most basic service – a potable water supply.

Group Water Schemes are found primarily in rural areas generally not served by a public water supply, and are privately owned, operated, and maintained.  There are approximately 234 such Schemes in operation in County Mayo.

Mayo County Council have set up a County Monitoring Committee and appointed a Liaison Officer.   The primary challenge faced by all parties involved in rural water supplies in Ireland is to ensure that the quality of the water supplied to consumers complies with the EU Directive on Drinking Water Standards.

Strategic Rural Water Plan

Design / Build / Operate (D.B.O.)

Upgrading of Existing Schemes

Connect to the Public Main

Take-Over of Group Schemes / Necessary Improvements

Subsidy towards the Operational Costs of Group Water Supply Schemes

Grants for the Provision or Necessary Improvements of an Individual Water Supply to a House

Water Quality

Strategic Rural Water Plan

The Strategic Rural Water Plan constitutes a blueprint for the future development of rural water supplies in County Mayo and facilitates the focusing of investment where it will have the most beneficial effect.  The Plan has been prepared in full consultation with all interested parties.  The emphasis in the early stages of the Plan was on dealing with the poor water quality problems in the privately sourced Group Water Schemes approximately 90 of which were seriously deficient. Funding has been concentrated on providing new Treatment Plants, replacing critical mains and installation of consumer meters.

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Design / Build / Operate (D.B.O.)

Bundle No. 1:

The first bundle of Schemes for improvement of water treatment facilities using the D.B.O. process has been completed. 13 Schemes agreed to use the D.B.O. process namely:-

• Ballycroy
• Ballyglass/Carnacon
• Belderrig
• Brackloon/Spaddagh
• Drummin
• Glencorrib
• Glenhest
• Killeen
• Kilmeena
• Kilmovee
• Lough Mask/ Creevagh
• Laghta
• Fahy/Drummindoo

Bundle No. 2:

Water Treatment Plants have been provided for the following Schemes:-

• Nephin Valley Group Water Scheme Co-operative Society Ltd.
• Moylaw
• Callow Lake
• Clew Bay
• P.B.K.S. (Prizon/Lisnolan, Ballyvary, Keelogues, Straide)
• Cloonmore/Rooskey
• Curramore
• Parke
• Shraheens
• Killasser

All of the above Treatment Plants have now been commssioned and are now in the operation and maintenance phase.

The following Contracts are substantially completed:-

• Advance Works Contract 4 for construction of watermains and ancillary works at Callow Lake GWS Co-Operative Society
• Nephin Valley Group Water Scheme Critical Mains Replacement Contract

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Upgrading of Existing Schemes

The upgrading of the following Group Water Schemes have been completed:-

Construction Completed 2011

• Kilcolman/Facefield (Claremorris)
• Oxford/Greyfield (Kiltimagh)
• Ballymartin (Kilmaine)
• Shammer (Kilkelly)
• Doohoma Head (Geesala)

Construction in Progress 2012

• Caherduff/Neale

Work on the upgrading of Cahermaculick GWS is in progress and will be completed in 2012.

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Connect to the Public Main

Work on the connection of Carha GWS (Bonniconlon) and Cushin/Ayle GWS (Westport) to the public main is in progress.

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Take-Over of Group Schemes / Necessary Improvements

The following Group Water Schemes were taken-over in 2011:-

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Subsidy towards the Operational Costs of Group Water Supply Schemes

This scheme allows for the payment by Local Authorities of an annual subsidy towards the operational costs of Group Water Schemes in supplying water for domestic use.  

Below is a link to the Mayo County Council Water & Sewerage: Forms and Publications page where you will find a guidance document and application forms.

Water & Sewerage: Forms and Publications

It is important that all Group Schemes avail of their Subsidy entitlements.  Mayo County Council encourages all Schemes to apply for Subsidy payments to assist them in the efficient running of their water supplies.

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Grants for the Provision or Necessary Improvement of an Individual Water Supply to a House

This Scheme was introduced to assist households dependant on private individual water supplies who are incurring capital expenditure to:-

• Provide a piped supply of water for domestic purposes for the first time, or
• Remedy serious deficiencies in an existing supply of water for domestic purposes.

This scheme does not apply to houses to which a Public or Group Scheme Water Supply has already been, or can be, reasonably provided.

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Water Quality

Group Water Schemes are sampled by the HSE in accordance with guidelines set out in the European Communities (Drinking Water) (No. 2) Regulations, 2007.

Audit Monitoring of large schemes is also carried out by E.L.S. Ltd.

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Water Services

Second Floor
Mayo County Council
Aras an Chontae
The Mall
Castlebar

Phone: (094)902 44 44
Email: WaterServices@mayococo.ie
Open:
Opening Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
and 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.