Kildare County Council Rural Water Department,
Background,
In 2013 Uisce Eireann (Irish Water) became the National Utility responsible for the delivery and maintenance of all public water and wastewater infrastructure. This transition of functions from the 32 Local Authorities did not include small private water supplies, privately maintained group water schemes or any rural private domestic dwelling that was not connected to the public water or wastewater network.
What we do,
Local Authorities remain the Supervisory Authority in this area and Kildare County Council Rural Water Department is responsible for ensuring regulated private water supplies meet the requirements of the Drinking Water Regulations by:
- Sampling regulated private water supplies to check their water quality.
- Investigating where private water quality standards are breached.
- Assisting private supply owners with advice and guidance to improve their water quality.
- Taking enforcement action if private water supplies are not taking steps to improve water quality in supplies that fail to meet the standards.
- Administering of funds allocated under the DoHLGH Multi Annual Rural Water Programme.
Kildare County Council Rural Water Department also administer the following grant funding for private domestic dwellings,
- Administering of grant assistance to private domestic dwellings that rely on a borewell for their water supply to help ensure supply is wholesome and clean.
- Administering of grant assistance to private domestic dwellings to help with costs of removing lead pipework from their property.
Kildare County Council Rural Water Staff also work in conjunction with any group scheme committee to facilitate and advise in relation to the application for the Taking-in-Charge by Uisce Eireann of their scheme. (See section on Taking - in - Charge).