Water & Sanitary Services

Contents:

1. General Information
2. Rural Water Programme

General Information

Rural Water Monitoring Project
Background

Rural Ireland is served mainly by grant-aided group water schemes, which have been successful in bringing water supplies to areas not served by the public mains. The water they provide is generally untreated and many supplies are unfit for human consumption.

The Rural Water Monitoring was set up by the DOELG in response to the poor quality of rural water supplies. Its objectives are to examine the quality of water supplied by all group water schemes in County Roscommon, to identify the factors adversely affecting water quality and to investigate measures for improvement. The project is 100% funded by the DOELG and was approved by the Minister in February 1999.

Roscommon County Council was chosen for the project because the county has a manageable number of schemes all within reach, and diverse enough in terms of source and size to be representative of group water schemes in the county as a whole.

The project is overseen by a Steering Committee comprising of representatives from Roscommon County Council, the National Federation of Group Water Schemes and Dublin Corporation. Dublin Corporation was included because it had the laboratory facilities and technical expertise to get the project up and running.

Sampling points were chosen so that they provide the most representative samples of the schemes. In general, the source, a mid-way sampling point and a point at/near the end of the distribution main were used. If a scheme serves less than 15 houses, only two sampling points were selected.

The interim report "Roscommon County Council Rural Water Monitoring Project", published in 2000 gives a mid-way assessment of the water quality in group water schemes. The report covered the period from March 1999 to March 2000 inclusive. The assessment revealed that many schemes were supplying drinking water of a much lower standard than that specified in European Communities (Quality of Water Intended for Human Consumption) Regulations, 1988.

For presumptive total coliforms it was found that only 2 out of a total of 65 sources consistently had zero presumptive total coliforms thus indicating that all except 2 sources require disinfection.

For presumptive faecal coliforms, it was found that 58% of samples taken from private schemes and 4% of samples from semi-private schemes tested positive.

Excessive levels of colour were observed for 22 out of a total of 61 sources over the study period. Out of a total of 64 sources, 24 exceeded the limit for turbidity, at least once during the study period. High turbidity in water can also cause problems in water treatment, by making disinfection difficult.

Iron, manganese and to a lesser extent aluminium were also present in excessive levels in some waters-18.2% of source samples exceeded the national limit for iron, 21.1% of source samples exceeded the national limit for manganese and 7.7% exceeded the national limit for aluminium.

Results for pH in all, except 3 samples, were within the required range for pH in potable waters and was not a cause for concern.

During the study period 4 samples from 3 different sources exceeded the national limit for nitrite-a possible indication that water is organically polluted. It was found that 6 private sources, all ground waters, exceeded the national limit value for ammonia-indicating a nearby source of organic pollution. Results for nitrate, phosphorus, and heavy metals were not a cause for concern. 41% of private scheme samples and 3% of semi-private samples had no chlorine residual.

Actions taken to improve water quality:

As a result of the high level of bacterial contamination of so many group water schemes, the Steering Committee took the decision early on, that the situation merited urgent action. Measures to improve water quality, decided on at the outset of the study were brought forward.

1. Two pilot treatment plants to be installed - Pollcat Springs and Cavetown Lake
2. Training to be provided for groups operating schemes
3. A range of "point of use" i.e. one-house treatment systems to be pilot tested
4. Roscommon County Council to arrange, on behalf of 21 schemes, for installation of chlorination units

Current status of the proposed actions:

A training seminar has been provided for the operators of schemes. Plans are going ahead for the installation of the two pilot treatment plants and chlorination units. Some chlorination plants have already been installed but none are operational. No improvement in water quality can be expected until this happens.

The pilot testing on the one-house treatment systems spanned 12 months beginning in March 2000. The final analysis of results has not been done yet but indications so far are that results have been quite inconsistent. Suppliers of the treatment systems agreed at the outset of pilot testing to maintain the units for one year, but many failed to do so. It will be difficult to assess the efficiency of the systems that have not been properly maintained.

Because it has the facilities and technicial expertise, Roscommon County Council's Laboratory has tendered for the sampling of group water schemes in other counties. It is currently contracted by the consultant for the DOELG to sample group water schemes on Counties Offaly, Longford, Leitrim and Sligo on a monthly basis.

Further Information: Rural water Laboratory, Old Infirmary, Library Building, Roscommon County Council, Roscommon.

Rural Water Programme

Responsibility for Group water schemes was devolved from the Department of Environment and Local Government to the local authority in 1997. In 2008 the following works were carried out by Roscommon County Council under the programme:

• Design Build Operate Project for Water Treatment: The priority of the Rural Water Programme is to facilitate the upgrading of water quality in the private group scheme sector. Twenty-two schemes are included in the DBO project for the county that will see the construction of six new water treatment plants. Twenty schemes have amalgamated into three new cooperative group water schemes - Mid Roscommon GWS, Oran Ballintober GWS and Corraghcreigh GWS. The DBO Contract for the treatment plants had to re re-advertised in 2008 and a decision on the award of the contract is expected in the spring of 2009 with an estimated cost of €8million. Four contracts for advance/enabling works on the new schemes and the Knockcroghery Lecarrow Public Scheme (included in the DBO contract) were tendered in 2008 with contracts signed and work started on two of the contracts. The total value of the advance contracts is €10.8 million.
• Small Schemes Programme: The Council received an allocation of €850,000 from the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government to upgrade public water and sewerage schemes in 2008. Under this programme the Department's contribution is supplemented by funding from CLAR, while Roscommon County Council contributes 25%. A total of €4,097,687 was expended on completing 2007 schemes and substantially completing 2008 schemes. Work completed on small schemes projects include upgrading and replacement of watermains on all of the Regional Water Schemes, the installation of wastewater package treatments plants in Cloonfad, Ballyfarnon and Keadue and the installation of treatment plant and network collection system in Croghan.
• Take in Charge and Connection to the Public Main: The Camlin Ballinameen private group scheme was connected to the public watermain at Grangemore and taken in charge in 2008 at a total cost of €117,233. The scheme had previously served 156 houses.
• New Group Water Schemes: Two new group schemes were completed in 2008 - Lissnaville and Hollymount serving 6 houses at a total cost of €77,554.
• Private Group Water Schemes Upgrade: Some of the private group water schemes in the Design Build Operate Bundle continued upgrading works on their schemes including critical mains replacement and the provision of universal metering. Work was undertaken by the following schemes: Pollacat Springs, Ballinderry Rathmore, Derrinacartha, Carnalasson Caggle, Rathcarren, Carnakit and Woodbrook. In total €1,153,258.61 was paid in grant aid to the schemes during the year.
• Water & Sewer Connections: During 2008 a total of 201 licences were issued for 238 connections to the public water mains, public sewerage, and group water schemes. There were 59 connections to the public mains including 18 agricultural connections, 52 connections to the public sewerage network, 5 connections to surface water, 15 to group scheme supplies and also 107 licences issued for road openings based on connection fees paid through development contribution scheme.
• Individual Water Supply Grants: Houses that are not either connected to the public mains or a private water scheme may be eligible for a grant to upgrade their supply if their house is more than seven years old. The grant amounts to 75% of the cost subject to a maximum payment of €2,031.58. A total of €29,400.96 was paid in grants in 2008 to fifteen approved applicants.
• Subsidy towards the Operational Cost of Group Water Supply Schemes: Subsidies are payable to group water schemes to help offset costs incurred in the day to day provision of a water supply to domestic houses. A total of €205,300.78 was paid to thirty-one group schemes in 2008 in respect of claims to the end of 2007. A new subsidy rate is payable from 1st January 2008. The subsidy is recouped in full from the Department.

Copy of application forms and explanatory memorandums can be found in the application forms section of this site.