The south Kildare water supply scheme is included in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2004-2006 under the rural towns and villages initiative. The scheme, which involves supplying parts of south County Kildare with water from Dublin Corporation's water treatment plant at Ballymore Eustace, is substantially complete. The scheme does not include the provision of a water supply connection to Athy.
The Kildare water supply strategy, which will develop alternative sources of water for all of County Kildare, is included in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2004-2006 as a scheme to start in 2004. Under contract 3b of the trunk watermains element of phase 1 of the scheme, a water supply connection will be made to Athy from a new reservoir to be provided at Ardscull. Contract documents for this work are at present being examined in my Department and once approved, the local authority will be in a position to invite tenders with a view to commencing construction in 2005.