Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009
The Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009 announced in 2007 for County Donegal is estimated to cost €352.9 million. It is presented under the following three sub-programme headings :
- Major Capital Programme (including Rural Towns and Villages Initiative)
- Serviced Land Initiative Programme
- Water Conservation Programme
Aerial photograph of Donegal Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant, DBO (Design, Build & Operate) Group A, comprising of Donegal, Rossnowlagh and Ballyshannon Wastewater Treatment Works, Rising Mains and Outfalls. This scheme opened in 2008 and is operated by Veolia Ireland Ltd on a 20 year Operation and Maintenance contract.
Letterkenny Boreholes Water Supply opened in 2008. This supply has the capacity to produce 1,800 cubic metres of water daily, which equates to almost 20% of current demand for Letterkenny Town.
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Major Capital Programme
Serviced Land Initiative Programme
This programme provides for investment in small to medium scale water and wastewater infrastructure to facilitate development of specific lands for which there is development demand. The schemes are 40% funded by the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
Water Conservation Programme
Donegal County Council’s Water Conservation programme was revitalized by the Department’s sanction in principle of a programme of expenditure amounting to €25.3m. The Department Inspector’s approval of Donegal County Council’s Implementation Strategy Report for Water Conservation has allowed established priority works, estimated at €4.83m, to proceed. The Implementation Strategy Report set out water conservation work progressed since June 2001, specified what was required to complete current projects and set out a programme of future work.
Although the earlier water conservation projects were advanced in-house DEHLG requirements have necessitated the procurement of the services of a Consulting Engineer to oversee and coordinate Stage 1 Water Conservation works on a county wide basis. The consultant was appointed in 2005 and work has commenced on the remaining Stage 1 works.
Plans for Water Conservation Programme in 2009 and future years:
- Appoint contractor for the countywide metering and telemetry system and commence construction.
- Prepare Stage 2 report and apply to DoEHLG for budget approval to scale up countywide leak detection and repair activities.
- Complete procurement and roll out of NIMS.
- Update GIS data set for Complete Information System.
- Apply to DoEHLG for funding for Stage 3 - pipeline replacement work.
Non-Domestic Metering Project
Donegal County Council is required by Government to meter all non-domestic water supply customers by 2006. The National Water Service Pricing Policy requires that non-domestic customers be charged for the full cost of providing them with water and wastewater services. The Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government has developed the National Water Pricing Policy Framework, which has been rolled out through the issuing of Circular Letters and Guidance Documents, the undertaking of Pilot Projects, Training and Seminars, and the inclusion of funding and project programmes in the National Development Plan. Water charging is to be transparent and equitable, without any profit-taking by the Local Authorities.
In County Donegal approximately 10,000 water service connections will require to be metered on Public Water Supply Schemes at the point of connection by the end of 2006. In addition, approximately 1,000 non-domestic Group Water Scheme customers may require to be metered.
The non-domestic water metering service will have one Primary Function and two important Secondary Functions, viz. (1) Primary Function: Revenue Collection, in accordance with the Polluter Pays Principle, as set out in the National Water Services Pricing Policy, (2a) First Secondary Function: Improve Water Operations Network Management and (2b) Second Secondary Function: Improve Customer Service.
Donegal County Council appointed Nicholas O'Dwyer Ltd. and Parsons Brinckerhoff Ltd to act as Client’s Representative for its non–domestic water-metering project. Following the compilation and analysis of data, detailed consultations with staff and other stakeholders, sample surveys of customers and connections, and preparation of several background reports, a Preliminary Report for the project was finalised. The Preliminary Report identified 7 service elements which are fundamental to the successful delivery of the project – Customer Data, Meters, Meter Reading, Billing, Revenue Collection, Customer Service, and Data & Information Systems. Following further inter-service consultations it was decided that the Customer Data, Meter installation & maintenance, and Meter Reading service elements would be contracted on a Design Build Operate basis to a Private service Provider (PSP). It was further decided that the responsibility for the remaining service elements would remain with the Council.
The project involved two distinct stages as follows, (a) Design / Build Stage:12 months (2006 to 2007) and (b) Opeate/Maintain Stage:10 years (2008-2018). The Design Build Contract was completed in 2007 with the Operate and Maintain stage commencing in 2008
For further information on the Non Domestic Metering Project please click here