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The Community Water Development Fund 2020

The Community Water Development Fund 2020 was launched at the inaugural ‘Rivers Trusts and Catchment Partnerships Conference’ in the Hudson Bay Hotel, Athlone on Saturday 30^th November 2019.

The fund is open to all community and voluntary groups who want to get involved in the protection and restoration of clean and healthy waters in their local area. Improvements in water quality in turn benefits our health and well-being, wildlife and the local economy. The fund is also open to Rivers/Lake Trusts and Catchment Partnerships, these groups tend to adopt a wider catchment-based approach.

Application Form and Guidance Notes in respect of the Community Water Development Fund 2020 are available to download from the LA Waters Programme: http://watersandcommunities.ie/community-water-development-fund-2020/

The closing date for applications submitted by post or email is Friday, 7^th February 2020 at 5.00 pm. A new development for 2020 provides for online applications via www.lawaters.ie

The deadline for online applications is extended to Tuesday, 11^th February 2020 at 8.00 pm. To encourage applications via the new facility a draw will take place, for online applicants only, with one lucky group receiving a prize of €500.

Types of projects considered for funding will include:

Capital projects such as restoration/habitat conservation/natural flood mitigation measures.
Projects that promote public awareness/education and events such as biodiversity days, surveys, training workshops, surveys and plans, etc.
General amenity such as beach clean, improving amenity areas, bird watching facilities, etc.

Grants awarded will range from up to €5,000; up to €10,000 and up to €25,000.

The total fund is capped at €225,000 for 2020.

The online application process will be available shortly.

More information can be obtained by contacting the Local Authority Waters Programme at 0761 06 6230 or email funding@lawaters.ie

About author

EPA Catchments Unit

Administrator

The EPA Catchments Unit is based in Dublin, and the team is involved with catchment science, chemistry, ecology, hydromorphology, modelling, Geographic Information Systems and planning. We work with the wider EPA, all of our local authorities, the Local Authority Waters and Communities Office, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, and other public bodies and Departments to ensure we have the best available data and information about our catchments.

Who is involved?
Quite simply, everyone in Ireland has a role to play. This can be from something as simple as making sure you don’t pollute your local stream, or a local community working together to establish a Rivers Trust to enhance the rivers and lakes in their area, to a Government Department or Agency helping a Minister implement a new policy to help protect and enhance all our water bodies.

This website has been developed and is maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency, and is a collaboration between the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Local Authority Waters Programme.

Local Authority Waters Programme

The Local Authority Waters Programme coordinates the efforts of local authorities and other public bodies in the implementation of the River Basin Management Plan, and supports local community and stakeholder involvement in managing our natural waters, for everyone’s benefit.

Environmental Protection Agency

The EPA is responsible for coordinating the monitoring, assessment and reporting on the status of our 4,842 water bodies, looking at trends and changes, determining which waterbodies are at risk and what could be causing this, and drafting environmental objectives for each.

Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The Department is responsible for making sure that the right policies, regulations and resources are in place to implement the Water Framework Directive, and developing a River Basin Management Plan and Programme of Measures to protect and restore our waters.