The announcement of a €60m of support for improvement of water quality at local, catchment and national levels will be welcomed by all involved in the GWS sector.
Through a WATER European Innovation Partnership (EIP) project, the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO), along with Teagasc and Dairy Industry Ireland (DII) will work with an expected 15,000 farmers on an individual basis to improve water quality.
During the application process, the NFGWS published a letter of support for the LAWPRO application to administer the project, given the huge potential for the mutual benefits of meeting Water Framework Directive targets and contributing to improvements in the quality of GWS drinking water sources.
In keeping with its role under the River Basin Management Plan, the NFGWS will provide assistance to the Water EIP project team by highlighting potential, shovel-ready, catchment mitigation projects identified in GWS integrated source protection plans (ISPPs).
Collaboration
Similar to the ongoing NFGWS ISPP and mitigation actions project, the Water EIP project builds on the interdepartmental partnership between the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH). The DAFM will support the project through the provision of technical assistance and funding of €50 million for participating farmers, co-funded by the National Exchequer and the EU under the Common Agricultural Policy. The DHLGH will provide administrative support and funding of €10m to the project, which is due to run until the end of 2027.
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.
