Grants for the improvement of a private water supply to a house

Grants payable under the Housing (Private Water Supply Financial Assistance) Regulations 2020 (S.I. No. 192 of 2020)

You are advised that under the Housing (Private Water Supply Financial Assistance) Regulations 2020 (S.I. No. 192 of 2020), the existing grant scheme to support improvement works for a private water supply providing water intended for human consumption and domestic purposes to a house, (more commonly known as private or household wells) has been revised with effect from 4th June, 2020.

1. Purpose of grant

The purpose of this grant scheme is to assist households in rural areas that are dependent on a private water supply (individual well) for their household use, by financially assisting them where they incur capital expenditure, to carry out improvements to the supply to ensure that the water supply is wholesome and clean, or that the quantity supplied is insufficient to meet the domestic needs of the household as defined in the Housing (Private Water Supply Financial Assistance) Regulations 2020 (S.I. No. 192 of 2020).

For grant purposes, a private water supply is defined as a system providing a supply of water to a single house by means of a source that is not common or shared.

The grant enables improvement works to be carried out to a private water supply so that it will provide water that is compliant with the quality standards of the Drinking Water Regulations and/or will supply the sufficient quantity of water that meets the domestic needs of the household.

Important: Houses with individual connections to a common source of supply using separate abstraction and distribution systems do not constitute a private water supply for the purposes of the grant. The grant must be used solely for the improvement of a private water supply to a house. No part of the grant payment may be used to cross subsidise other non-domestic use e.g. farming activity or other commercial use.

2. Level of grant

The level of a grant is determined by the type of improvement works being undertaken and shall not exceed the following amounts:

(a) (i) 85% of the approved costs for rehabilitation works, subject to a maximum of €3,000;

or

(ii) 85% of the approved costs for the provision of a new well, subject to a maximum of €5,000 (where the housing authority agrees that this is the most appropriate solution);

(b) 100% of the approved costs for works that, in the opinion of the housing authority, are necessary to treat the water to meet the water quality standards specified in the Regulations, subject to a maximum grant of €1,000. Examples of such treatments are filtration or Ultra Violet treatment.

Once you have completed your application form, please send it, along with the relevant supporting documentation to: The Water Services Section, Roscommon County Council, Áras an Chontae, Roscommon or email: waterservices@roscommoncoco.ie