There was excitement aplenty for the group water scheme sector at this year’s LAMA All Ireland Community and Council Awards, with the Roscommon drinking water source protection pilot project taking home the prize for Best Green Sustainable Initiative.
Hosted in the Dublin Royal Convention Centre on Saturday, 17 February, the awards celebrate the collaboration between communities and councils. The efforts to protect the drinking water sources of Roscommon group water schemes have epitomised this ethos since the pilot project commenced in 2019.
As part of the project, which was funded under the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage’s Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme, group water schemes worked closely with the NFGWS and Roscommon County Council to install extensive source protection measures in their local areas. Along with physical actions, those involved have gone to great lengths to inspire local communities to change their daily practices in order to protect water quality and the wider environment.
Speaking about the project’s LAMA awards win, NFGWS chief executive officer, Barry Deane said:
We are so delighted for everyone that has been involved in the drinking water source protection efforts across Roscommon to see it receive this great recognition at the LAMA Awards.
Our sector is built on a partnership approach of group water schemes working with government departments, local authorities and the NFGWS to deliver a service that local communities can be proud of. This project has been the perfect example of what can be achieved when everyone works together in such fashion.
Roscommon County Council and the local group water schemes were a pleasure to deal with over the course of the project and we are still collaborating to build on the success of the work done to date. The actions of the pilot project are now also being replicated on other group water schemes around the country.
More information on the drinking water source protection pilot project can be read here.
