Progress in water issue

Progress in water issue

Michael Duffy

PROBLEMS with a safe and steady water supply to many households in rural Mayo should soon become more infrequent as ‘significant progress’ is being made by Mayo County Council in relation to its critical Rural Water Plan.
Mr Gerry Costello of Mayo County Council confirmed to The Mayo News this week that six of the schemes in Bundle One of the plan were due to be commissioned before Christmas and planning permission for a treatment plant for the problem scheme at Fahy/Kilmaclasser looks set to be granted next week.
“Significant progress has been made and other schemes in Bundle One are likely to be commissioned in the first two months of 2007,” stated Mr Costello.
The six schemes which are to be commissioned before Christmas are located at Drummin, Killeen, Ballycroy, Kilmeena, Ballyglass/Carnacon and Glenhest. Up to 40kms of pipes have to be laid to service the Fahy/Kilmaclasser scheme. Work will commence on the pipe-laying this week with the Council expecting to lay around 2kms of pipe per week.
Schemes at Glencorrib, Lough Mask/Creevagh, Laghta, Belderrig, Bohola and Brackloon/Spaddagh are all expected to be commissioned in early 2007 while planning permission for a treatment plant has been submitted for the last scheme in Bundle One of the Design/Build/Operate programme, located at Kilmovee.
“We are happy that good progress has been made under the Rural Water Plan. The plan constitutes a blueprint for the future development of rural water supplies in County Mayo and facilitates the focusing of investment where it will have the most beneficial effect,” added Mr Costello.
Contractors are also ready to start metering and carrying out critical maintenance on the twenty three schemes on Bundle Two of the plan. Tender documents in relation to major work on these schemes are expected to be ready for the end of the February 2007.