Top awards for local group water schemes
BALLINABRANNA WATER SCHEME OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED
Minister Phil Hogan presents Pat Ryan and members of the St. Mullins Group Water Scheme with their award.
THE BALLINABRANNA group water scheme was officially opened last Friday by Minister Phil Hogan during the official opening of the South Leinster Design/build/operate Bundled Water Supply Scheme.
The scheme involves the coming together of 18 group water schemes and six local authorities to provide 34 water treatment plants in counties Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Wexford and Wicklow.
Speaking at the opening the Minister praised all involved and said the scheme 'will allow the benefit a good quality water supply to be enjoyed not just by this generation but also by the upcoming one'.
The water treatment plants, which have an estimated cost of €8 million, have been provided by way of a Design/build/operate contract. This contract involved the successful contractor designing and building water treatment plants for group water schemes and then operating the completed water treatment plants for a period of twenty years.
The Minister gave special praise to the group water schemes for their involvement saying that 'I would like to take this opportunity, to praise the work of the members of the group water schemes, which at the end of the day, are voluntary bodies, for having the courage to participate in what was very new ground for them.'
He also complemented Carlow County Council, which acted as lead authority for the six local authorities 'for stepping up to the mark by agreeing to be the lead authority and to take on the challenges and the extra workload this presented'.
Representatives from group water schemes in Carlow including St. Mullins as well as representatives from schemes in Wexford and Wicklow were also presented with awards from Minister Hogan for their participation in group water schemes.
