When it comes to community-focused group water schemes in Ireland, Doohamlet GWS continues to set a high standard. Serving more than 300 households in rural Monaghan, the scheme has earned a strong reputation for innovation, community engagement, climate action and a commitment to continuous improvement.
That reputation was further strengthened through its success at the 2025 GWS Excellence Awards, where Doohamlet GWS was named the overall winner in the Community Engagement category. The achievement builds on a growing list of accolades. In 2024, the scheme received an Excellence Flag in Community Engagement, while in 2026 it was also recognised with Excellence Flags in both Water Safety Planning and Quality Assurance Implementation, and Water Demand Management and Climate Action.
Strong Partnerships Driving Success
The scheme's achievements reflect the commitment of its board of management, scheme manager Niamh Lynch, dedicated volunteers and members working together towards common goals.
A key area of focus in recent years has been climate resilience and sustainable water management. To better understand source sustainability, drought resilience and future water demand, the scheme commissioned a safe yield assessment of Toome Lake. Enhanced raw water quality monitoring, continuous lake-level monitoring and the analysis of smart meter consumption data are helping the GWS make informed decisions and prepare for future climate-related challenges.
The introduction of smart metering has also significantly improved leak detection and reduced water losses across the network. Alongside this, the board invested in a new 100kW standby generator to protect water treatment and pumping operations during severe weather events. Together, these measures are helping strengthen infrastructure resilience and safeguard long-term water supplies for members.
Investing in the Wider Community
Beyond infrastructure and operations, Doohamlet GWS has demonstrated how group water schemes can play a central role in supporting wider community and environmental objectives.
Working alongside local schools, community organisations, Ballybay Men's Shed, biodiversity groups and Monaghan County Council's Biodiversity Office, the scheme has delivered a range of biodiversity and educational initiatives. These have included tree identification signage, bee hotels, pollinator awareness programmes and the distribution of pollinator-friendly seed bombs to local schools, encouraging environmental stewardship throughout the community.
Recognising Volunteer Commitment
A significant contributor to the scheme's success has been long-serving volunteer John Doran, who was honoured with a GWS Ethos and Volunteerism Award. With more than two decades of voluntary service, John has been a driving force behind many of the scheme's improvements and innovations.
Serving as treasurer, he continues to provide valuable leadership, helping bridge the scheme's proud history with its modern and forward-looking approach.
We are extremely proud of the recognition received through the GWS Excellence Awards, and particularly proud that our success has also provided an opportunity to recognise the contribution of our volunteers, including John Doran, with a GWS Ethos and Volunteerism Award. John's commitment is a wonderful example of the knowledge, experience and community spirit that underpin a successful scheme. These achievements reflect the collective effort of everybody at Doohamlet GWS.
- Neda Fadian, Secretary, Doohamlet GWS
The story of Doohamlet GWS demonstrates how strong governance, forward planning, volunteer commitment and community engagement can combine to create a resilient and thriving rural water service.
For more information and updates, readers can follow Doohamlet GWS on Facebook.
This article originally featured in the most recent edition of the Rural Water News magazine.
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