Irish Water is to adopt a new strategic initiative in partnership with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to embed energy efficiency in its operations.

This new commitment comes as part of the renewal of the Public Sector Energy Partnership Programme.

Talking about Irish Water's and SEAI's Public Sector Energy Partnership Programme, Irish Water's Managing Director Eamon Gallen said: "We are delighted to be working with SEAI and to get their support to develop a longer term strategic initiative to support the embedding of energy efficiency within Irish Water. It will build on Irish Water's sustainable energy strategy to become an energy efficient, low carbon, sustainable water utility.

-- Advertisement --

"Irish Water's goal, with support from the SEAI, is to make energy efficiency an integral part of business as usual. We have already started to implement energy efficient design for all projects and Irish Water will leverage SEAI's proven methodologies and expertise in this area. Irish Water will continue to embed energy efficiency measures into our current plants and other assets. Energy efficiency will become part of projects at all stages including concept, initial design, through procurement, construction, commissioning and handover, to operation and maintenance over the long term."

Jim Gannon, Chief Executive of SEAI, added: "We are delighted to continue our long-standing relationship with Irish Water and to bring our collaboration to a new level. SEAI offers support, advice and training to public bodies and our most recent report shows that the public sector has made €1 billion in energy savings and avoided 3.6 million tonnes of CO2 emissions since 2009. We look forward to helping Irish Water reduce and decarbonise their energy consumption as they continue to improve our critical water infrastructure."

(CM/MH)