Consultation on lough derg water plan

Irish Water has published the Options Working Paper on the proposed Water Supply Project, Eastern and Midlands Region (WSP), which outlines an independent review of all previous studies undertaken on providing a new source of water supply for Dublin and the Eastern and Midlands Region.

Finding a sustainable new source of drinking water to cater for population and economic growth in this area has been a key priority for the past decade. This consultation will run for eight weeks from the 9th June to the 4th August 2015.
Ten options identified to date have already been evaluated as part of Strategic Environmental Assessments (2007-2011), which looked at environmental, technical, risk, economic and socio-economic perspectives. Four of the ten options were identified as being technically viable and Irish Water, having independently validated the four options, is now bringing each forward for further consideration in the planning process. No decision on a preferred option has been made to date.
Public consultation and onsite studies in each of the four areas will form a key part of the decision making process to identify an emerging preferred option by late 2015. Following detailed environmental assessments on the preferred option, a planning application will be submitted by Irish Water to An Bord Pleanála in mid-2017. At this stage Irish Water is now looking in detail at the four options to identify the constraints that will define the positioning of option infrastructure (e.g. pipelines, treatment plants, etc.) and also to identify the ‘Assessment Criteria’ that will be used to consider each of the four options relative to each other.
Jerry Grant, Head of Asset Strategy with Irish Water, commenting on the project said: “The Eastern and Midlands region urgently needs a new source of drinking water and work has been ongoing to secure this for more than a decade. Irish Water wants to engage with people on how we are going to look at and assess the viable options to meet that need moving forward in order to ensure security of supply and economic growth for the Eastern and Midlands Region as well as the country as a whole.”
Irish Water is inviting members of the public and interested groups to give their views on their proposed Constraints and Assessment Criteria (and the approach to their use) to identify an Emerging Preferred Option whilst minimising the impact on people and the environment. The four technically viable options confirmed by Irish Water in no particular order of priority, are as follows:
- DESALINATION
- LOUGH DERG (DIRECT)
- LOUGH DERG AND STORAGE
- PARTEEN BASIN (DIRECT)
Irish Water is now inviting submissions on the following:
- What other national, regional or locally important constraints should Irish Water take into account when locating the infrastructure associated with each water supply option?
- Have you any comment on the proposed constraints and the approach to their use?
- Are there any Assessment Criteria other than those proposed which should be used in the next phase of options appraisal?
-  How would you like to be communicated with us as the project progresses?
Feedback from the consultation process will be obtained through stakeholder meetings and written submissions, which can be made by email to watersupply@water.ie or by post to Water Supply Project, Merrion House, Merrion Road, Dublin 4. All issues raised from this consultation will be reviewed and considered as part of the next phase of the process, which will result in a Preliminary Options Appraisal Report (detailing an Emerging Preferred Option) due for publication and consultation later in 2015.
It is expected that a preferred option for meeting the water supply needs of Dublin, the Eastern and Midlands region once agreed and subject to relevant environmental consideration will be submitted to An Bord Pleanála for planning approval in mid-2017.
The Water Supply Options Working Paper is available to view in County Libraries and at Local Authority Planning Counters within the project study area and can be downloaded from www.watersupplyproject.ie Further information can also be made available by calling Lo-call 1890 252 848.