Irish Water has today published its first draft Framework Plan of the National Water Resources Plan (NWRP), for public consultation - the NWRP is Ireland’s first-ever 25-year strategic plan.

For the first time, the NWRP will provide a country-wide analysis to identify the water the country has, uses, needs and any potential risk to water quality.

Irish Water said the plan sets out the methods and options needed to meet shortfalls in a resilient and environmentally sustainable way and is accompanied by a Strategic Environmental Assessment Environmental Report and Natura Impact Statement, which looks at how the Plan considers its impact on the environment

The National Water Resources Plan will;

• calculate the demand for water from homes, businesses, and industry now and into the future
• assess the amount of water available in existing supplies
• assess the impact of weather events such as drought on water supplies
• identify areas where is not enough water supply to meet demand or where there is a risk to water quality.

Commenting on the NWRP draft Framework Plan, Sean Laffey, Head of Asset Management with Irish Water said:

“Our infrastructure is under increasing pressure to meet the current demand for water as a result of population growth, climate change, and our changing environment. To prevent unplanned water outages, water conservation orders, reductions in pressure or restrictions to water supplies, we have to plan ahead.

“Irish Water’s first National Water Resources Plan will enable us to do that in a sustainable way whilst also supporting economic and population growth. The National Planning Framework (NPF), the key strategic plan for shaping the future growth and development of Ireland out to the year 2040, anticipates a population increase of 1 million people and the creation of 660,000 net new jobs in the economy by 2040.It is estimated that 34,000 houses will have to be built each year for the next decade just to meet demand of our growing population .

“Over 380,000 jobs are supported directly by foreign and direct investment, many of which are in water intensive industries such as manufacturing and pharmaceuticals. How we choose to plan our water resources today will determine the water supply we can provide now and into the future. We are inviting the public to play a role in shaping how we plan our water supply now and into the future by making a submission to this consultation process”.

A 10-week public consultation will now seek feedback on the NWRP Draft Framework Plan and associated environmental reports from today until the 16th February 2021.

Following the consultation period the water company will finalise and adopt the Framework Plan, and commence the Phase 2 development of four Regional Water Resources Plans which will set out the options to address identified needs across all of its supplies. Irish Water will again be seeking the public’s views as each of the Regional Plans will be subject to public consultation.

Click here to download the draft National Water Resources Plan

Click here to download the Strategic Environmental Assessment Environmental Report

Click here to download the Natura Impact Statement

Click here for information on how to comment