If there is no public water supply in your area you may be able to connect to a Group Water Scheme.
To find out if there is a group water scheme in your area contact the Water Services Section for details.
Click here for contact details of Group Water Schemes in Offaly.
Contact Details of Group Water Schemes in Offaly.xls (size 18.4 KB)
If there is no group water scheme in your area and there are two or more households a group water scheme may be formed. Application must be made to Offaly County Council for approval in setting up the scheme.
It is very common in rural areas that households are not connected to a public water supply, but are served by group water schemes. These schemes are formed by two or more households coming together to provide their own common water supply. The group elects trustees who then act on behalf of the group members in all dealings with Offaly Local Authorities.
Group Schemes may be set up by a group of two or more householders getting together to provide themselves with a water supply where no such supply (or a seriously deficient supply) already exists.
The benefits for the group are greater economies of scale than individuals trying to source water and organise piping, filtration etc.
Taking a Group Water Scheme in Charge
Funding of up to 100% of the cost is provided only where existing group scheme water quality is deficient, where the group serves more than 50 persons and where the identified solution is to have the scheme taken in charge by the Council. No group scheme will be taken over without the agreement of the group.
Subsidy Information
For subsidy purposes, a group water scheme is defined as:
“A scheme providing a private supply of water to two or more houses by means of a common or shared source of supply and distribution system”
Any enquiries about the subsidy should be addressed to Rural Water Programme Liaison Officer.
The Memorandum below sets out the terms and conditions applicable to the annual subsidy payable by local authorities towards the operational costs of group water schemes supplying water for domestic use.
Subsidy Memorandum.doc (size 182.8 KB)
Application form for Annual Subsidy.doc (size 248.8 KB)
Application form for Advance Subsidy.doc (size 115.2 KB)