The Forum has submitted a position paper to officials in the Water Division of the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage focused on the delivery of drinking water services by the Group Water Scheme sector, an agreed position of all Members of the Forum. This initial advice will be followed by additional advice on other aspects of rural water services (including private wells) later in 2024.
To prepare this policy advice, members of the Forum’s Water Services Standing Committee received presentations on rural water services from the Rural Water Section of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the National Federation of Group Water Schemes (NFGWS). Members participated in a fieldtrip organised by the NFGWS to a number of Group Water Schemes and learnings from the Tobin Report on the Review of the Rural Water Sector were also considered for the development of the position.
The policy recommendations for the Department included:
Governance
- Local Authority delivery and administration of rural water services needs to be reviewed and defined. Each Local Authority should review and update its Rural Water Strategic Plan in consultation with GWSs.
Funding
- Funding needs to be provided urgently to address source protection measures; ensure water treatment standards are being met (including for issues like THMs); to address new Drinking Water and Abstraction legislation and to provide training for personnel.
Recommendations for GWS on Communications & Water Quality
- GWS members need access to data and information pertaining to the management of their supplies, including water quality, climate impacts, and new legislative requirements.
- GWS need to have emergency response and critical incident plans in place to protect consumers if there is a water quality issue and Local Authorities should assist GWS in this and communicating with at risk customers.
The full position paper is available here
