On 8 February this year, I announced details of the measures being funded through my Department under the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme 2019-2021. This included an improved funding scheme for individual wells (more commonly known as private or household wells).
The composition of the new multi-annual programme is based on recommendations from the Working Group that I established in April 2018 to conduct a review of investment needs and rural water services.
The changes that I have approved to the individual wells grant scheme are, as follows:
- A maximum grant for rehabilitation works of €3,000, which represents an increase of 47% on the current maximum grant amount,
- Where the local authority agrees that the most appropriate solution is to provide a new well, the maximum grant payable would be €5,000,
- Recognising the role of the grant in improving quality, the water quality treatment element (typically filtration and UV filtration) will qualify for 100% funding up to a maximum of €1,000,
- Up to 85% of other costs would be met, subject to the total combined maximum costs of €3,000 for well rehabilitation or €5,000 for a new well,
- For clarity, applicants would not be able to avail of both grant amounts, so they would not be able to avail of €3,000 for well rehabilitation as well as the €5,000 for a new well.
Work is at an advanced stage of development for the funding scheme. I expect that the process will be completed in the coming weeks when the necessary regulations dealing with the financial assistance arrangements and related administrative matters are put in place. This will enable a circular letter, terms and conditions, guidance and the application form to issue to local authorities shortly thereafter.
Two further funding measures in the new multi-annual programme are relevant to householders that are dependent on individual wells. These measures are:
- Measure 4 – New Group Water Schemes: The aim of this funding measure is to facilitate the continued expansion of the coverage of piped water supplies to the rural population through the development of new standalone, or extensions to existing, group water schemes.
- Measure 6 - Community Water Connections: This measure facilitates the continued expansion of the coverage of piped water supplies by extension off the public (Irish Water) network.
Details of these measures and the grants available for them under the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme 2019-2021 were notified to local authorities by my Department on 8 February 2019. Local authorities were invited to submit their bids for the funding of schemes or projects in their functional areas, with the deadline for receipt of proposals set as 14 March 2019.
The tables under set out the numbers of individual well grants and the amount of grant aid recouped by my Department to local authorities for 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 (up to 13 May 2019).
Local Authority (County Council)
|
Numbers of Individual Wells Funded in 2016
|
Amount of Grant
Aid in 2016
|
Carlow CC
|
55
|
€ 94,250.71
|
Cavan CC
|
12
|
€ 22,391.82
|
Clare CC
|
19
|
€ 35,298.44
|
Cork CC
|
256
|
€ 448,290.72
|
Donegal CC
|
8
|
€ 15,020.44
|
South Dublin CC
|
6
|
€ 9,994.91
|
Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown CC
|
1
|
€ 1,095.00
|
Galway CC
|
20
|
€ 38,524.36
|
Kerry CC
|
19
|
€ 32,757.94
|
Kildare CC
|
38
|
€ 71,318.38
|
Kilkenny CC
|
75
|
€ 124,906.01
|
Laois CC
|
37
|
€ 69,069.83
|
Limerick CC
|
81
|
€ 148,901.69
|
Longford CC
|
13
|
€ 21,270.76
|
Louth CC
|
62
|
€ 110,425.11
|
Mayo CC
|
4
|
€ 6,206.99
|
Meath CC
|
106
|
€ 195,714.73
|
Monaghan CC
|
9
|
€ 16,437.39
|
Offaly CC
|
17
|
€ 32,323.90
|
Roscommon CC
|
5
|
€ 10,157.90
|
Sligo CC
|
2
|
€ 4,063.16
|
Tipperary CC
|
43
|
€ 81,808.07
|
Waterford CC
|
98
|
€ 157,233.75
|
Westmeath CC
|
29
|
€ 52,396.28
|
Wexford CC
|
156
|
€ 241,674.52
|
Wicklow CC
|
151
|
€ 233,486.12
|
Total
|
1322
|
€ 2,275,018.93
|
Local Authority (County Council)
|
Numbers of Individual Wells Funded in 2017
|
Amount of Grant
Aid in 2017
|
Carlow CC
|
49
|
€ 86,874.95
|
Cavan CC
|
13
|
€ 23,610.49
|
Clare CC
|
12
|
€ 24,022.13
|
Cork CC
|
417
|
€ 708,456.83
|
Donegal CC
|
14
|
€ 25,695.70
|
Dublin South CC
|
3
|
€ 5,793.45
|
Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown CC
|
2
|
€ 3,291.58
|
Fingal CC
|
9
|
€ 14,349.09
|
Galway CC
|
34
|
€ 63,035.54
|
Kerry CC
|
19
|
€ 32,220.00
|
Kildare CC
|
25
|
€ 47,621.68
|
Kilkenny CC
|
85
|
€ 145,229.91
|
Laois CC
|
41
|
€ 80,206.40
|
Leitrim CC
|
3
|
€ 6,094.74
|
Limerick CC
|
53
|
€ 102,681.72
|
Longford CC
|
16
|
€ 27,992.24
|
Louth CC
|
57
|
€ 95,429.30
|
Mayo CC
|
13
|
€ 23,126.66
|
Meath CC
|
80
|
€ 140,100.13
|
Monaghan CC
|
3
|
€ 5,128.16
|
Offaly CC
|
11
|
€ 22,053.69
|
Roscommon CC
|
5
|
€ 8,474.41
|
Sligo CC
|
5
|
€ 9,681.58
|
Tipperary CC
|
49
|
€ 95,235.73
|
Waterford CC
|
113
|
€ 191,824.61
|
Westmeath CC
|
32
|
€ 61,263.48
|
Wexford CC
|
257
|
€ 407,926.73
|
Wicklow CC
|
147
|
€ 249,289.16
|
Total
|
1567
|
€ 2,706,710.09
|
Local Authority (County Council)
|
Numbers of Individual Wells Funded in 2018
|
Amount of Grant
Aid in 2018
|
Carlow CC
|
52
|
€ 98,429.85
|
Cavan CC
|
8
|
€ 12,577.85
|
Clare CC
|
31
|
€ 56,744.98
|
Cork CC
|
337
|
€ 595,823.09
|
Donegal CC
|
14
|
€ 26,944.88
|
Dublin South CC
|
8
|
€ 13,190.32
|
Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown CC
|
3
|
€ 4,747.21
|
Galway CC
|
29
|
€ 55,583.44
|
Kerry CC
|
26
|
€ 46,650.38
|
Kildare CC
|
29
|
€ 56,506.05
|
Kilkenny CC
|
88
|
€ 147,973.45
|
Laois CC
|
34
|
€ 64,473.46
|
Leitrim CC
|
4
|
€ 8,007.24
|
Limerick CC
|
104
|
€ 187,008.57
|
Louth CC
|
51
|
€ 87,993.10
|
Mayo CC
|
11
|
€ 18,387.29
|
Meath CC
|
114
|
€ 209,495.19
|
Monaghan CC
|
4
|
€ 7,594.18
|
Offaly CC
|
28
|
€ 56,569.80
|
Roscommon CC
|
8
|
€ 15,490.02
|
Sligo CC
|
7
|
€ 12,158.34
|
Tipperary CC
|
51
|
€ 98,396.84
|
Waterford CC
|
131
|
€ 221,664.00
|
Westmeath CC
|
47
|
€ 84,122.38
|
Wexford CC
|
243
|
€ 387,113.29
|
Wicklow CC
|
107
|
€ 189,317.22
|
Total
|
1569
|
€ 2,762,962.42
|
Local Authority (County Council)
|
Numbers of Individual Wells Funded in 2019 (up to 13 May 2019)
|
Amount of Grant
Aid in 2019 (up to 13 May 2019)
|
Cavan CC
|
8
|
€ 14,495.82
|
Clare CC
|
10
|
€ 18,195.07
|
Cork CC
|
151
|
€ 265,998.14
|
Dublin South CC
|
2
|
€ 2,485.05
|
Fingal CC
|
2
|
€ 4,063.16
|
Galway CC
|
12
|
€ 21,570.36
|
Kerry CC
|
11
|
€ 20,766.22
|
Kildare CC
|
18
|
€ 32,908.23
|
Kilkenny CC
|
30
|
€ 53,662.65
|
Laois CC
|
12
|
€ 23,588.65
|
Leitrim CC
|
1
|
€ 2,031.58
|
Limerick CC
|
80
|
€ 150,700.85
|
Longford
|
12
|
€ 20,767.90
|
Louth CC
|
44
|
€ 76,759.09
|
Mayo CC
|
1
|
€ 1,125.00
|
Meath CC
|
106
|
€ 187,596.55
|
Monaghan CC
|
5
|
€ 7,978.43
|
Offaly CC
|
10
|
€ 20,261.69
|
Roscommon CC
|
5
|
€ 7,331.81
|
Sligo CC
|
1
|
€ 2,031.58
|
Tipperary CC
|
23
|
€ 46,501.35
|
Waterford CC
|
42
|
€ 70,433.81
|
Westmeath CC
|
17
|
€ 33,419.51
|
Wexford CC
|
85
|
€ 134,704.21
|
Wicklow CC
|
30
|
€ 54,758.26
|
Total
|
718
|
€ 1,274,134.97
|