Phil Hogan, T.D. Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, has announced that he has given approval to Mayo County Council's proposal to include the Mayo Water Conservation – Stage 3 Rehabilitation Works – Package No. 4, in the Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2013.

He also announced that he has approved the commitment of the necessary capital funding to allow the Council to advance the works to construction as soon as possible.

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The Council intend to carry out work to replace some 13.3km of watermains in the Lough Mask Regional Water area at Claremorris, Ballyheane and Ballinrobe together with works in the Ballycastle Water Supply Scheme area at a cost of €1.6m.

"Mayo County Council's mains replacement proposals reflect the importance of water conservation as a key objective under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2013 to reduce water loss in the public supply networks," the Minister said. "It is difficult to justify major capital expenditure on new water supply infrastructure unless we also tackle high unaccounted for water levels in the existing supply systems. That is why the funding for water conservation has been substantially increased in the 2010 – 2013 Programme."

(CD/JP)