Irish Water and Kerry County Council today marked the official opening of the Kenmare Water Treatment Plant, following a €5m upgrade to improve treatment facilities and ensure a clean, secure water supply for the local community.

Over 2,000 people in Kenmare and the surrounding areas will benefit from a safer and more reliable water supply as a result of this investment.

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government Eoghan Murphy performed the official opening at the plant in the company of Cllr Norma Foley, Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council; Moira Murrell, Chief Executive of Kerry County Council, Irish Water representatives and special guests.

This completed project provides comprehensive treatment facilities, including a cryptosporidium barrier which will provide safe drinking water to the residents of Kenmare.  This ensures that the necessary infrastructure is in place so that Kenmare’s water supply is in compliance with the requirements set out in the European Union Drinking Water Directive.  The project also provides 24 hours reservoir storage capacity for Kenmare which enhances the security of supply.

Due to deficiencies in the treatment process at the old plant, Kenmare has been included on the EPA’s Remedial Action List (RAL). It is expected that the completion of this project will facilitate the removal of the supply from the RAL.

Speaking at the official opening, Minister Eoghan Murphy, said: “I am pleased to be here in Kenmare today for the official opening of this vital piece of water infrastructure. Kenmare is rightly regarded as one of Ireland’s top tourism destinations and providing a secure supply of clean, safe drinking water for local residents and visitors to the area is essential to the quality of life and development potential of the area. This investment in water infrastructure brings very significant benefits to this community now and into the future.”

Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council, Cllr Norma Foley said: “I welcome this investment by Irish Water in Kenmare which will ensure that town has a safe, secure and reliable water supply. The completion of this project should facilitate the removal of the Kenmare supply from the EPA’s Remedial Action List and give assurance to local people and visitors alike that the drinking water here is of the highest quality.”

Gerry O’Donnell, Infrastructure Programme Manager with Irish Water, commented: “We are delighted to officially open the new water treatment plant here in Kenmare. This upgrade of the plant was necessary to address the water treatment issues and ensure a secure and sustainable supply of quality drinking water for the local community.

“This project represents an investment of €5m by Irish Water in the Kenmare area. This is part of Irish Water’s commitment to improving water quality throughout the country that has seen the number of supplies on the EPA’s Remedial Action List reduced from 99 in 2016 to 77 at the end of 2017. This is one of a number of very significant projects in that have been completed or are near completion in Kerry, including new €30m Lough Guitane Water Treatment Plant which will provide a safer, more reliable water supply for more than 60,000 people in the Killarney area.”

Irish Water spent over €526 million on water services in 2017. Capital investment in the region of €700 million per year is needed for a sustained period of several decades to address the poor condition of Ireland’s water infrastructure. Works have been prioritised to address the most critical issues in line with commitments outlined in Irish Water’s Business Plan up to 2021. Delivery of the business plan will involve a €5.5bn investment in capital spending on drinking water and wastewater quality and capacity and new infrastructure up to 2021 while achieving efficiencies of €1.6bn.