Kilmaine is to see an improvement in water quality in the area with the announcement this week that the Lough Mask regional water supply scheme is to be extended to the village. This will be funded as part of the Water Services Investment Programme 2010 to 2013 and it will allow for the construction of a water main from Ballinrobe to Kilmaine at a cost of €2.025 million. The funding will be awarded by the Minister for the Environment, Community, and Local Government Phil Hogan to allow Mayo County Council to advance the scheme to construction as soon as possible.
An Taoiseach Enda Kenny has welcomed the announcement. He said: “The extension of the Lough Mask regional water supply scheme to Kilmaine represents a welcome investment that will support economic growth in the area as well as improve water quality in the locality. I understand the construction of the water main and associated reservoir will cost €1.475 million and a further €0.55 million will be spent on water main rehabilitation in the Kilmaine area. The Lough Mask regional water supply scheme is a vital asset for the water supply in County Mayo and its further development is strongly welcomed.”
Mayo Fine Gael TD John O’Mahony has also welcomed the positive news: “Inclusion of this scheme in this programme will provide the village of Kilmaine with a high quality water supply, which will support economic growth and facilitate new development, while also preserving environmental and water quality standards.”
According to the deputy: “The scheme involves the laying of a 200mm diameter water main from Ballinrobe to Kilmaine, the construction of a ground level reservoir with a capacity of 560sq m and associated works, at a cost of €1.475 million, and will be funded under the Department Environment, Community, and Local Government investment programme. Approximately five kilometres of mains rehabilitation in Kilmaine, which will cost in the region of €0.55 million, will be included as a new water main rehabilitation contract under the council’s water conservation programme.”
South Mayo Fine Gael county councillor Patsy O’Brien has welcomed the scheme. He said that the extension of this water supply was first mooted in 1987, however “it was hijacked by east Mayo”. The councillor said that he is particularly happy that the townlands of Doorath, Kilmaine, and Tullyduff, Kilmaine will have works carried out as he has lobbied hard for water conservation programmes in these areas.
Fianna Fáil councillor Damien Ryan from Ballinrobe said that bringing the water supply to Kilmaine has been something that he has “been working on for a good while” as Kilmaine has been “left in limbo” for many years with its water supply. The councillor said that this scheme was contracted more than 20 years ago, however the decision was reversed and the scheme went to Claremorris. He said that the current water network in Kilmaine is “extremely poor” with leaks constantly being fixed on the network and he said that “the line out of Ballinrobe for two kilometres is old and needed to be replaced.”
Cllr Ryan said that now the financial agreement is in place it will go to tender soon, and the councillor hopes to see the completion of works by the end of the year.
