Urgent meeting requested over future of Kilbannon Group Water Scheme

GALWAY County Council have been asked to help organise a meeting between members of the Kilbannon Group Water Scheme and Uisce Eireann.

The Kilbannon GWS was first set up in 1975 and is run by the Kilbannon Co-operative Society Limited. It covers a large area in the hinterland of Tuam, including Gardenfield, Annagh, Cloonmoyle, and Sylane.

However, at a meeting on April 30, members voted unanimously to hand over the scheme to Uisce Eireann, ending 52 years of volunteers working to provide the locality with a constant supply of clean, drinkable water.

Growing Frustrations

Since the meeting, Kilbannon GWS representatives have grown frustrated by a lack of information on the handover, leading to questions being asked about its future by councillors during last week’s plenary meeting.

“The people of Annagh Village have been left without water due to burst mains. The Kilbannon GWS really needs more investment to help it survive, as there has been six leaks recently and that’s just not good enough,” commented Cllr Donagh Killilea.

“They’ve spent €20,000 in the past six weeks and are running out of money. They are due to stop running the scheme by September. This is a huge issue that needs addressing.”

Council open to more dialogue

Addressing his comments, the Director of Services for Physical Development Uinsinn Finn said he was aware of the imminent takeover of the Kilbannon GWS.

Visits from consultants to the site have shown him that a lot of sections of the scheme are in poor condition and need addressing.

He said if people involved with the scheme were unhappy with the current levels of engagement, he would be happy to organise a meeting to hear their concerns.

“People in Kilbannon are becoming increasingly frustrated as they have heard nothing from the council or Uisce Eireann,” noted Cllr Siobhan McHugh Ryan.

“They deserve answers and local expertise will be helpful as Uisce Eireann begin planning for the future. It’s time to get everyone around a table so they can talk about this changeover,” she concluded.