16 August 2020
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Fine Gael Councillor, John Paul O’Shea has highlighted changes to grants for Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (septic tanks) which will see increased funding available to people in County Cork. The changes have recently come into effect.
Councillor O’Shea said, “Under the Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme, the Government has allocated €1.25 million in grants for domestic waste water treatment systems for 2020. The funding is being provided to local authorities across the country under the National Development Plan 2018 – 2027 and Cork County is set to benefit from this funding.
Cllr John Paul O’Shea
Cllr. O’Shea added “This year the means test is being removed in order to apply for funding to upgrade domestic waste water treatment systems. The maximum grant is being increased and applicants can now claim up to €5,000 for upgrades to their domestic waste water treatment systems. The funding will support infrastructure improvements for domestic waste water treatment systems in rural areas in Cork. This funding announcement builds on the significant investment already being made through the Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme, to support the communities and the local economies of rural Ireland including here in Cork”.
Key details of changes to grants for Domestic waste water treatment systems under Measure 8 of the Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme are as follows:
- The removal of the means test requirement
- The maximum grant is being increased to €5,000
- Expansion of the scheme to include two new areas:
- ‘Prioritised areas for action’ – Treatment systems in close proximity to the Owentaraglin, Allow, Awbeg (Buttevant) West & Upper Deal Rivers in North Cork
- ‘High status objective catchment’ – You can check to see if your Treatment System is included by placing your Eircode in the following link – https://storymaps.arcgis.
com/stories/ 5eaae1b83cf84197b1f184a5ef7c26 96
In order to qulaify for any grant, you will need to have registered your septic tank when previously requested to do so on www.protectourwater.ie
Cllr. O’Shea continued by saying “It is important that rural communities receive the equity of treatment and financial support equivalent to those living in urban communities, and that they benefit from top quality water infrastructure and services. People living in rural communities are already benefiting from the funding under the seven measures of the Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme”.
