Schools’ water bills to rise as grants delayed

HALF of the country’s schools face spiralling water bills this winter after funding promised nearly a year ago to allow them to significantly reduce their usage failed to materialise.

Around 1,500 schools applied to the Department of Education for the water conservation grants that would have funded automatic controls on urinals, systems to reduce water used when flushing toilets and hand basin taps that minimise water flow.

The scheme was announced by former education minister Batt O’Keeffe last October and it was indicated to schools that money would be approved to allow the work to take place during the summer.