New water source still needed despite Kenmare plant upgrade

A major upgrade of the Kenmare Water Treatment plant will ensure safer water for the south Kerry town — but it will not solve a long-term problem of a new water source.

A €4.5m contract was awarded by Irish Water to Glan Agua Ltd which is also, currently, building a new €31m plant at Kerry’s biggest water source at Lough Guitane, near Killarney.

However, water is a vexed issue in Kenmare, where the 2,100-plus population increases significantly in the summer months.