After a quick visit to the Dysart Toonagh GWS website, one can already see why it was the overall winner of the ‘community engagement’ category in the GWS Excellence Awards 2023.
The County Clare group water scheme offers an excellent online resource, which includes monthly validated water quality results, a notice board for important news and plenty of information about the GWS, including its board members and distribution network area.
With new regulations requiring greater online access to drinking water information for the general public, www.dysarttoonaghgws.ie already ticks many boxes. However, its website forms just part of its engagement efforts.
‘Most people don’t see the work that goes into ensuring that there is clean drinking water at their taps, and unless there is an issue they wont even think about it,’ says Dysart Toonagh GWS manager, Matthew Rynne.
‘This is why it is important to keep the community continually informed about operational works being carried out in the day-to-day running of the scheme.’
The GWS has segmented text messaging services to alert members about any local works or if there has been a sudden demand increase in their district metered area. Coupled with an email service and biannual billing, the GWS maintains a regular presence in the minds of members. Not to mention its actual physical presence in the new office it opened in Toonagh Community Centre in 2021.
Septic tanks
In 2016 and 2017, the GWS partnered with the NFGWS and the EPA to carry out a septic tank desludging project within its catchment. Baring in mind that the maximum recommended timeframe between septic tank desludging is every five years, the GWS took the initiative to secure a reduced rate from a waste collection contractor to carry out follow-up desludging for members during 2022 and 2023.
Not forgetting about the younger generation, the GWS also completed a school visit last April. Matthew explains:
‘One of the best things we did as part of our community engagement was our visit to the local national school . We supplied the school with “All about Water” booklets and gave school presentations about the history of DTGWS and the importance of water.
‘We then brought the students to the water source and the treatment plant, where they were able to ask questions about the processes. By educating school children regarding the importance of water, the hope would be that they will informed enough to help create awareness around water conservation and source protection in the future.’
Future-proofing
DTGWS was among the group water schemes that installed a drinking water refill station late last year, meaning it now has six points of public access to drinking water on its network. It is a GWS that never stops looking for ways to develop its service and has recently secured LAWPRO funding to conduct an ecological and riparian study on its Ballycullinan Lough source.
‘DTGWS will be 50 years old in the next few years and the hope is that we can continue to serve the community to the best of our abilities for another 50 years. Those involved are embracing new technologies which aid with scheme operations and the plan is to continue with this into the future.’
The application window for the GWS Excellence Awards 2024 is now open. You can find more details about how to apply here.
This article originally featured in the most recent edition of the Rural Water News magazine. To read the full edition and to sign up to our magazine mailing list, click here.
