The Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO), working on behalf of Ireland’s 31 local authorities to protect and restore good water quality, is awarding funding to 155 projects in 26 counties under the ‘Community Water Development Fund Open Call 2024’. The announcement was made today, World Water Day.
Under the fund local communities and groups were invited to apply for financial assistance to support the delivery of projects and initiatives to enhance local water bodies and benefit water quality and biodiversity.
Since 2018, LAWPRO has made over €2.7m available through this funding scheme to local communities and groups, assisting in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive through Ireland’s River Basin Management Plan. Types of projects approved for funding under this year’s open call include:
River and habitat enhancement work, such as planting of native tree species and hedgerows, pollinator friendly planting, river-bank stabilisation, fencing and installation of riparian buffer zones near water bodies (areas free of chemical and organic fertilisers, cultivation and spraying).
Preparation of reports: feasibility studies, habitat management plans, ecological surveys, and hydromorphology studies.
Awareness raising initiatives such as citizen science workshops, biodiversity information boards, outdoor classrooms, river clean-ups, rainwater harvesting, and wetlands.
In addition, LAWPRO is rolling out a new funding stream the ‘Catchment Support Fund’. This funding will build the capacity of Community Groups to grow and develop in support of the delivery of the River Basin Management Plan.
Minister of State with responsibility for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD, welcomed these announcements saying:
“Today is World Water Day and I’m delighted to announce €1.2m for 155 projects nationwide to improve water quality. Under the Community Water Development Fund, grants totalling €702,605 will fund the grassroots work of local communities and voluntary groups to raise awareness of our rivers, lakes and streams and the biodiversity they support. A further €500,000 under the new LAWPRO Catchment Support Fund, to be rolled out by LAWPRO, will help NGOs working on water quality to develop and strengthen the skills, processes, and resources they need to grow. Each and every project that these funds support will play a part in achieving our collective goal of improving water quality.”
Funding applications details for the ‘LAWPRO Catchment Support Fund’ will be available from https://lawaters.ie/ from Wednesday the 27th of March 2024 and the fund closes for applications on Tuesday, 16th of April 2024.
Commenting on the 2024 fund, Director of Services for LAWPRO, Anthony Coleman said: “We are delighted to fund local community driven projects that will go towards improving water bodies. LAWPRO was set up to coordinate and support efforts to achieve good water quality and these types of projects are at the heart of what we do. Community engagement is fundamental in dealing with local issues and the fund empowers groups to take action to benefit their local water bodies and the surrounding environment. Providing financial support to community groups to develop and grow is an important next step in achieving water quality.”
Full details of grants awarded and the application process for the new Catchment Support Fund are available online at www.lawaters.ie and www.catchments.ie
For more information on the work of LAWPRO visit: www.lawaters.ie
Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) works on behalf of Ireland’s 31 local authorities to protect and restore good water quality in our rivers, lakes, estuaries, ground and coastal water through catchment science and local community engagement. LAWPRO was established to fulfil requirements under the European Union Water Framework Directive and is funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. LAWPRO coordinates the efforts of local authorities and other public bodies in the implementation of the River Basin Management Plan.