Irish Water have established standards and procedures to allow for the taking in charge of a group water scheme. A scheme may apply to be taken in charge by Irish Water via Galway County Council. A grant, for necessary upgrade works, to allow for the takeover, may be made available on review by Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, through the Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme (MARWP).
Schemes are required to meet the Taking in Charge requirements as set out by Irish Water in order to progress the scheme into the public network. In order to meet the Taking in Charge Requirements a grant of up to 100% of the total cost of any required upgrade works may be made available under Measure 5 of the Rural Water Programme upon application by the Group Water / Group Sewerage Scheme for necessary funding. For Group Water Schemes, the scheme must meet the strict water loss requirements, 0.4m³/km/hr, as set out under the process in order to advance a Taking in Charge application.
Please note that two thirds (2/3) of all the members of a group scheme must agree to transfer the ownership of their scheme to the Council and all outstanding issues regarding ownership of lands, rights of access etc. need to be regularised to enable any project to under this action to proceed.
Further information in relation to a scheme being taken in charge by Irish Water, along with the relevant data required and application forms, can be viewed and are available for download by clicking: