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Rural Water Programme

The Council's Rural Water Programme includes:

1. Group Water Schemes
2. Small Public Water and Sewerage Schemes
3. Grants for Individual Well Water Installations  

Group Water Schemes

A group water scheme provides a private water supply to 2 or more houses by means of a common or shared source of supply and distribution system.

The Council assists groups by working in partnership with them and by:-

• Providing advice and guidance on the formation and operation of group schemes
• Providing technical advice on source and supply issues, distribution networks, water quality and treatment, scheme design, etc.
• Enabling groups to take a water supply from public mains where this is feasible
• Providing advice and assistance on tender procurement and evaluation
• Grant aiding group schemes up to 85% of the approved cost, subject to a limit of €6,475 per house
• Supervision of construction standards
• Providing an annual subsidy towards the operation and maintenance costs incurred on the scheme by the group

Small Public Water and Sewerage Schemes

A small public water and/or sewerage scheme consists of capital works on the improvement and/or extension of public water and/or sewerage schemes where the cost of the works does not exceed €1000,000 .  The Council funds 25% of the cost of such projects and it recoups the remaining 75% from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, within the confines of an annual allocation of capital funding.

Private Wells & Grants

Water Connection - Drilling a Well

If your property is incapable of being served by either a public or group scheme, you may decide to arrange for your own private well to be drilled.

Is there a grant towards the costs?

In certain circumstances, a grant may be obtained from the County Council.  The maximum grant payable is  €2,031.58 or 75% of the cost of the work, whichever is the lesser.

Who is elegible?

To be eligible for a grant, a person must be providing a piped water supply to an existing house for the first time.

or

carrying out improvements to a seriously deficient existing piped water supply to a house.

Who is NOT eligible for a Grant?

A person is not eligible for a grant if, in the opinion of Laois County Council:

• the house is under construction or has been constructed within the previous 10 years
• grant has been paid within the previous 10 years for the provision of a house
• a grant has been paid within the previous 10 years for the provision or improvement of a water supply to the house
• the house is not occupied by the applicant as their normal place of residence
• the house is presently connected to a public or group water scheme
• the area in which the house is located or is about to be served by a public or group water scheme
• the approved cost is less than €634.87
• the work is carried out before Laois County Council inspect and approve the proposals

What works qualify under the scheme?

• drilling or commissioning a new well.
• improvement works to an existing well.
• providing or upgrading a supply from a surface water source.
• construction or improvement of a pumphouse and/or piping for a supply of water
• provision or improvement of equipment for the treatment of a supply of water.

An inspection by Laois County Council of the proposed work will determine the costs and whether the works qualify for a grant.