Three projects in county Limerick will benefit from over €30,000 in funding through the Community Water Development Fund, where 92 projects nationwide have been awarded a total of €1,332,492 to help improve water quality.
Under the Community Water Development Fund, local communities and groups receive grants for projects and initiatives to enhance local water bodies, thereby helping to improve water quality and protect biodiversity.
The Maigue Rivers Trust is the largest recipient in the county, with €22,320 being awarded for a feasibility study on the West Liskennett river, for instream works to improve habitat for salmonids, water quality and hydromorphology. Ballyhoura Heritage & Environment have also been awarded funding, for nature based interventions on the Keale River / Molanna Loop Walk and associated works, funding here coming to €3,694. The final project in the Treaty county to receive funding, is Limerick & District Anglers group, awarded €5,500 towards Lucas’s Ponds.
Also under the Community Water Development Fund, several groups in Cork received funding, with Gougane Barra Angling Club (affiliated with TAFI, and Munster Regional Trout Angling Council) the largest recipients of €18,124 for lake restoration (weed removal project) at Gougane Barra; other recipients include Cork Sub Aqua Club (€14,826) and the Cork River Alliance Group (CRAG) (€5,643).
While Borrisoleigh Community Centre (€24,970) and Kilcommon Tidy Towns (€13,000) were recipients in county Tipperary.
CATCHMENT SUPPORT FUND
Last Friday’s funding announcement also included €1,112,737 for projects under the Catchment Support Fund, with 56 groups across 20 counties benefitting, in addition to two national projects. This fund builds the capacity of community groups actively involved in water quality management by providing financial assistance for their core costs, including staff salaries, administration and promotional materials.
Cork River Alliance Group were recipients under this strand of funding also (€5,000), with the East Cork Rivers Trust in receipt of a similar figure. StreamScapes CLG were the largest beneficiaries in the county, being awarded €24,750. Both Green Skibbereen CLG (€16,397) and Tracton Biodiversity Group , affiliated to Tracton Community Council T/A Knocknamanagh CLG, (€16,500) were in receipt of funding also.
In county Limerick, the Maigue Rivers Trust were awarded €30,145, with Castleconnell River Association CLG receiving €31,092.
Cabragh Wetlands Centre CLG in county Tipperary received €50,000, along with Suircan Environmental CLG (€619.50).
The sole recipient in county Waterford under the Catchment Support Fund was Tides & Tales Maritime Community Project CLG (€1,009.40).
Both funds help community groups and organisations to deliver a wide range of projects to improve water quality nationwide, including river and catchment conservation and restoration – initiatives to restore and protect local rivers and their ecosystems; community engagement – programmes that promote water stewardship and raise awareness about water quality issues; biodiversity enhancement – projects that support habitats and species dependent on clean water; and also preparation of reports – feasibility studies, habitat management plans, ecological surveys, and hydromorphological studies.
INCREASE IN FUNDING
Commenting on the 2026 fund, Director of Services for the Local Authority Waters Programme, Anthony Coleman said that ‘local communities play a vital role in protecting and improving our water quality’.
“The Local Authority Waters Programme is proud to support the work of community groups, volunteers and NGOs across the country through our funding programmes, helping them take action to improve and protect our waterways for current and future generations.”
Local Authority Waters Programme staff have seen increased demand for these funding schemes which have grown significantly in recent years. Both funds have nearly doubled in the past two years alone, with the Community Water Development Fund rising from €702,000 in 2024 to almost €1.3 million in 2026, and the Catchment Support Fund rising from €500,000 in 2024 to over €1.1 million in the current funding announcement.
These funding schemes are an important commitment within Ireland’s Water Action Plan 2024, the roadmap to restore our waterbodies to ‘good’ status or better and to protect against further deterioration up to 2027, as required under the EU’s Water Framework Directive.
Both funds, totalling €2,445,229 awarded nationwide, will be administered by the Local Authority Waters Programme on behalf of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. For more information, visit www.lawaters.ie
