News
- November Consultation Press Release 21/11/2008
Publications
The new Non-Technical Summary is available here
The Environmental Report and Non-Technical Summary, along with the Draft Plan and the Habitats Directive Assessment Report that were tabled for public consultation in 2008/2009can be accessed in this section.
Dublin City Council has been carrying out studies on behalf of the Dublin Region Local Authorities and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (DEHLG) as to how best to provide drinking water for the region into the future. The Dublin Region (Water Supply Area) includes the following Local Authority areas:
- Dublin City,
- Dún Laoghaire Rathdown,
- Fingal,
- South Dublin,
- Part of County Wicklow (including Bray Town Council),
- Part of County Kildare,
- Part of County Meath.
Water Conservation
Find out what water conservation measures are being undertaken in the Dublin Region Water Supply Area.
Welcome to the Water Supply Project Website
This website explains the current status of studies, in relation to the long-term water supply needs of the Dublin Region (Water Supply Area).
These have been underway since 2004. Over the intervening period, two phases of public consultation have taken place (2006 & 2008/09) under the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) process, regarding potential new source options for meeting long-term supply needs. The (2008) draft Plan and Environmental Reports, involving 10 potential new water supply options, were tabled for public consultation under the SEA (Phase 2) process from November 2008 to Feb / March 2009. Consultations with stakeholders during this period were extensive and feedback from the process has now been incorporated, as appropriate, into the current recommendations. A Non Technical Summary of the recommendations (and a Power Point Presentation) is now being made available to stakeholders and the general public, via this dedicated project website, in order to provide an interim update on the current status of the project (July 2010).
The website sets out to explain the Who, the Why, and the What of the Project to date.
LATEST NEWS
NEW WATER ECO-PARK IN MIDLANDS COULD STORE WATER FOR DUBLIN AND MIDLAND COUNTIES. 1000 CONSTRUCTION JOBS FOR 3 YEARS AND ONGOING JOBS AS WELL AS A NEW TOURISM AMENITY FOR THE MIDLANDS,
Monday July 19th 2010
An innovative water based eco-park with fishing, boating, cycling, water and leisure sports on 500 acres, with a major water storage reservoir, located on a former cut away bog, Garryhinch Bog, Co Offaly is the recommended solution to finding a new water source for the Greater Dublin area and supply water to Counties Meath, Wicklow, Kildare, Offaly and Westmeath.
The project would cost an estimated €540 million and generate an estimated 1000 construction jobs for three years, in addition to generating ongoing sustainable long term jobs in the midlands managing the eco-park activities and a water plant.
Consultants for Dublin City Council, RPS and Veolia Water, have recommended that a total of nine counties, including the four Dublin local authority areas could benefit from the eco-park, with the reservoir water being taken from the River Shannon at Lough Derg during periods of flood and high flows only, when there is more than enough water in the lake for all users. It would be stored at the new water eco-park, from where it could be used during periods of low flows in the Shannon. The average amount of water from Lough Derg under this proposal is 2% and at present this 2% flows into the Atlantic ocean every day and is replenished with rain falling on the catchment.
Bord na Móna, owners of Garryhinch Bog, have expressed their commitment to support the project as it is in line with their green energy vision, their Lough Boora Park developments and their plans to create new sustainable jobs in the Midlands. Bord Na Mona has recently received approval for new wind generated energy to supply up to 45,000 homes and this could see this renewable energy source being used to power the midlands eco park.
The Consultants suggest that a 500 acre eco-park would be constructed at Garryhinch Bog that would be along the lines of the well known UK Rutland Water and Eco-park in east Anglia. It already attracts over a million visitors annually and includes water sports, boating, fishing and an internationally renowned bird sanctuary.
“This innovative recommendation is the result of a huge amount of research and consultation with all stakeholders over the last six years and could benefit everyone”, says Tom Leahy, Executive Manager, Dublin City Council. “The project is needed to provide security of water supplies and to sustain and grow jobs and the economy; particularly to afford growth opportunities to the nationally important strategic industries relying on water to generate exported products.”
“The midlands would gain a permanent innovative water based tourism amenity that would also rehabilitate the existing cutaway bog. It will also provide a large number of jobs, both during construction and on-going local jobs in the water treatment plant, managing the eco-park and promoting it as a top leisure and tourist amenity”.
The recommendations are innovative and deserve to be fully considered by everyone. For that reason Dublin City Council will meet and talk with all stakeholders and fully brief them on all aspects of the project and potential synergies relating to the project. In particular all those who contributed comments and input over the 6 years of the study will be briefed on the recommendations of the studies and the details.
An Environmental Impact Statement process will be undertaken next, before a planning application is made to An Bord Pleanála and further and full statutory public consultation takes place.
An Bord Pleanála will make the decision on the project, which will require funding from Government.
A new water source to augment all the existing water sources, will be needed in the Dublin region from 2016. An estimated 1.5 million people living in the midlands and the east of the country, as well as existing and new industries will use the new water supply.