Over €0.5 million announced to improve Laois rural water and sewerage schemes

Eleven projects in Laois will share in €502,761 of grants to deliver essential water and waste water infrastructure.

Rural Group Water Schemes in Raheen, The Heath, Errill, Cullohill, Ballypickas and Attanagh are among the Laois recipients from the €73.9m allocated nationally for 291 projects across Ireland under the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme 2024–2026.

€20,000 of the grants via Laois County Council, will go towards the cost of taking in charge multiple group water schemes and sewerag schemes, some connected to the Portarlington and Ballybrophy public water schemes, others around Laois.

The Heath group water scheme is the biggest recipient, receiving €221,000 for water conservation and leak reduction and prevention, and another €5,228 for "innovative demonstration projects". 

Cullohill group water scheme is the next biggest, granted €157,752 also to reduce and prevent leakages.

Fine Gael TD William Aird welcomes the funding as "great news for communities in Laois".

“It’s so important that we protect our water sources and ensure the highest standards in water treatment. We must ensure that communities across County Laois have the benefit of high quality infrastructure and water services.

“The Rural Water Programme delivers improvements to private domestic water and waste water services in areas of rural Ireland where there are no public water services. This funding and the completion of these projects will allow Group Water Schemes to continue to improve the quality, quantity and reliability of the water services across our County. Fine Gael is working hard to improve our infrastructure to ensure more homes can be built. This funding to improve our water and waste water facilities will go a long way to supporting communities across our County”, Deputy Aird said.

Read also: 95% approval rate in Laois for vacant homes grant says TD

Fianna Fáil's Laois TD Sean Fleming also welcomes the cash which he says is for eight group water schemes.

"The Group Water Schemes that will receive funding are The Heath, Errill, Cullohill, Ballybrophy, Portarlington, Raheen, Ballypickas and Attanagh. A key element of this funding is to support leakage reduction and water conservation efforts which will directly benefit families in these areas. 

"This funding will assist in the sustainable growth in these areas as people will be able to have a good, reliable and clean water supply.  This will benefit people for generations to come.

"I want to pay special tribute to all the volunteers and members who assist in the local group water schemes in their areas for the benefit of their local communities. Without these volunteers we would not have these group water schemes in the first place," Dep Fleming said.

Nationwide, 291 projects will share in €73.9m, to benefit 63,000 rural households by improving water quality and infrastructure. Projects will range from minor works to major capital investments of over €2m for complex or bundled schemes.