Reality check for Kerry council: Cost of water

Today’s report about efforts by Kerry County Council to use the Sheen River to supply Kenmare with water describes in microcosm the problems around matching an ever-growing demand for water with finite resources.

The council incurred costs — primarily engineering and legal — of €700,000 trying to deliver the project which was abandoned in the face of stiff opposition from farmers and conservationists.

Cllr Johnny Healy-Rae suggests that bill cannot be considered a final figure as staff costs were not included.

Be that as it may, one thing is certain. Local authorities will be more than reluctant to embark on projects that may or may not be realised — they do not have the resources to gamble on outcomes.

Irish Water and the council are investing €4.5m in works to treat the water from Moll’s Gap, which means Kenmare will finally have a supply of “adequately treated” water but that can only be a stop-gap measure as demand is increasing relentlessly. Water may be a right but it is certainly not free.