Irish Water has announced plans to upgrade two drinking water treatment plants in Donegal.

The plants, at Lettermacaward and Killybegs, will ensure sufficient clean drinking water to this region of West Donegal, including the area supplied by the Glenties/Ardara Public Supply.

The supply currently providing water to the Glenties/Ardara area is on the EPA's Remedial Action List due to water quality risks associated with it and is not suitable for providing a long term drinking water supply for the area.

Sean Corrigan, Regional Information Officer with Irish Water, said: "Irish Water's priority is to deal with the public water supplies at Portnoo/Nairn, Fintown and Glenties/Ardara that are currently on EPA's Remedial Action List, meaning there is a threat to them being able to continue supplying sufficient drinking water locally.

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"The most cost effective way to secure water supply for this area for the long term is to upgrade the water treatment plants at Lettermacaward and Killybegs providing long term capacity for existing five supplies in the region.

"The existing substandard treatment plants at Portnoo/Nairn, Fintown and Glenties/Ardara will be decommissioned. This solution is the most cost effective and it also has a lower risk attached in terms of securing the necessary planning and environmental permissions required to provide future quality water supply.

"The existing water scheme supplying the Glenties/Ardara area is not sufficient to meet the projected future water requirement for this area.

"The cost of upgrading the two largest treatment plants in this region is lower than the cost of providing separate treatment plants to the individual schemes within the area.

"The Lough Ana source is also not favoured due to multiple environmental designations attached to the lake and the sensitive bog land surrounding it."

(CD/JP)