Tuesday, 25th February 2025: Today the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO), working on behalf of Ireland’s 31 local authorities to protect and restore good water quality, is awarding €1,047,265.26 in funding across 54 projects in 24 counties under the ‘Community Water Development Fund Open Call 2025’.
Under the fund local communities and groups were invited to apply for financial assistance to support the delivery of projects and initiatives to enhance local water bodies and benefit water quality and biodiversity.
Since 2018, on behalf of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, LAWPRO has made over €3.7m available through this funding scheme to communities, assisting in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive through Ireland’s Water Action Plan. The funding provided annually has also increased significantly during this period, from €185,800 in 2018 to over €1 million in 2025.
Types of projects approved for funding under this year’s open call include:
- River conservation, restoration and rehabilitation initiatives.
- Nature-based solutions projects.
- Preparation of reports: feasibility studies, habitat management plans, ecological surveys, and hydromorphology studies.
Minister of State with responsibility for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD welcomed this announcement: “This funding, of over €1 million, is an investment in the protection and restoration of good water quality nationwide. The Community Water Development Fund provides vital support to the tremendous efforts of local communities and voluntary groups around the country who work hard to raise awareness of their local rivers, lakes, streams and biodiversity.
“Each and every project supported plays a part in achieving our collective goal to improve water quality under the UN Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation.”
Commenting on the 2025 fund, Director of Services for LAWPRO, Anthony Coleman said: “I’m delighted to announce over €1m in grants under the Community Water Development Fund 2025, our largest fund to date supporting local community driven projects that will go towards improving water bodies.
LAWPRO was set up to coordinate and support efforts to achieve good water quality and these types of projects are at the heart of what we do. Community engagement is fundamental in dealing with local issues and the fund empowers groups to take action to benefit their local water bodies and the surrounding environment.
Providing financial support to community groups to develop and grow is an important step in achieving water quality.”
As well as the Community Water Development Fund, LAWPRO also supports community groups and organisations through its Catchment Support Fund and Small Grants and Events Scheme.
Launched in 2024, the Catchment Support Fund awarded €500,000 last year towards the core running costs of non-governmental organisations working in the area of water quality. Whereas the Small Grants and Events Scheme allows community groups to apply for funding to cover small scale initiatives and events related to water quality.
For full details of grants awarded and more information on the work of LAWPRO visit: www.lawaters.ie
ENDS
Photo Caption:
Geashill Tidy Towns Co. Offaly – A Nature Based Systems project previously funded by the LAWPRO Community Water Development Fund. Funding included the design, development and installation of a swale, raingarden and wetland train installation to treat runoff from an adjacent public carpark. Nature-based Solutions design and functionality signage was also included in installation.
For media information:
Sadhbh O’Neill
Communications & Engagement Lead
Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO)
T: 085 850 0409
Notes to the editors
Full list of awards:
| Organisation | Project title/ description | Region | County | Award |
| West Cavan Bogs Association (WCBA) | The development of a peatland restoration plan for the raised bog in the townlands of Aughaweenagh and Fartrin, Co Cavan. | Border | Cavan | €15,000.00 |
| Inishowen Rivers Trust | Cloontagh River Rock Ramp Project Phase 1. | Border | Donegal | €18,887.00 |
| Cairde na hEaragaile CLG | Lough Dhún Lúiche lake and shore ecological study. | Border | Donegal | €5,227.00 |
| Deele Community Anglers | The 2 weirs: Community Investigation Project. | Border | Donegal | €12,609.00 |
| Barrack Hill Town Park Steering Committee | Barrack Hill Urban Wetland Way: Permissions and Consents. | Border | Donegal | €8,354.00 |
| Letterkenny Tidy Towns | Creation of Rain Water Garden at Sentry HIll, Letterkenny. | Border | Donegal | €6,037.00 |
| Ballyshannon Regeneration Group | Ballyshannon and Environs Green and Blue Space Discovery Project. | Border | Donegal | €10,070.00 |
| Martin Hegarty / Kilcar Parish Council | Kilcar Invasive Species Removal Project. | Border | Donegal | €15,000.00 |
| Rossinver Fishery | Habitat assessment of Glenannif, Ballagh and County Rivers, Lough Melvin by Wild Trout Trust. | Border | Leitrim | €6,600.00 |
| Carlingford Tidy Towns | Carlingford River Basin 010 Hydrological Assessment. | Border | Louth | €40,701.28 |
| Blackrock Tidy Towns | Restoration and rehabilitation of Hamilton Marsh, Blackrock, Co. Louth. | Border | Louth | €10,580.00 |
| Greenan’s Cross Development Committee | Riparian Development Cashlan Lough. | Border | Monaghan | €26,000.55 |
| Irish Wildlife Trust – Monaghan Branch | Hydrological Survey – Castle River, Ballybay. | Border | Monaghan | €5,781.00 |
| Friends of the Upper Annalee | Mapping the Upper Annalee Subcatchment in Cavan and Monaghan: Phase One to produce a digital map and interactive database. | Border | Monaghan | €13,145.00 |
| Culfadda Group Water Scheme Co-operative Society Ltd | Water Harvesting For farmers with a high usage of treated water. | Border | Sligo | €5,841.17 |
| Ballisodare Fishing Club CLG | Water Quality Electronic Sondes Installation. | Border | Sligo | €21,531.25 |
| Lough Arrow Fish Preservation Association and District Anglers | Lough Arrow Stream Enhancement Work. | Border | Sligo | €8,178.66 |
| Liffey Salmon Project | River Griffeen Barriers and Hydro-morphological Assessment 2025. | Midlands & East | Dublin | €20,320.58 |
| Connecting Cabra | Flood Alleviation in Cabra East. (AKA: It’s Raining, It’s Pouring, There’s Nowhere For It To Go!). | Midlands & East | Dublin | €16,384.00 |
| Lusk Tidy Towns | Palmerstown Stream Restoration Project. | Midlands & East | Dublin | €43,736.65 |
| Ballymore Eustace Tidy Towns and Ballymore Eustace Environmental Group (BEE Group) | To control Himalayan Balsam along the River Liffey banks & environs over ~10km stretch from Ballymore Eustace to Harristown. | Midlands & East | Kildare | €27,676.00 |
| Longford Tidy Towns | Feasibility Report on Options for barrier mitigation etc at Weir in Longford Town at River Camlin. | Midlands & East | Longford | €23,985.00 |
| Boyne Rivers Trust | Phase 2 of Riparian Woodland Restoration project, and Scoping study with Nature Based Solutions in the Boyne Catchment. | Midlands & East | Meath | €27,268.00 |
| Clara Tidy Towns | Creation of Rainwater Garden in town centre at River Street in Clara. | Midlands & East | Offaly | €13,975.00 |
| Rahan Community Hall | Flood Alleviation – Hall car park and road – Creation of Rain Garden and bio retention area. | Midlands & East | Offaly | €15,000.00 |
| Ballinahown Community Development Co Ltd | Nature Based Surface Water Management action plan stage 2: Ballianhown Village Co Westmeath. | Midlands & East | Westmeath | €17,507.50 |
| East Wicklow Rivers Trust CLG | Design, consent and costings for the removal of a barrier to fish migration on the Aughrim River. | Midlands & East | Wicklow | €49,593.60 |
| Laragh / Glendalough Tidy Towns Association | Invasive Alien Species removal from the Glenmacnass River in the vicinity of Laragh Bridge / Old Mill. | Midlands & East | Wicklow | €7,900.00 |
| Nore Vision | Nature Based Measures for Water Quality on Farms. | South East | Kilkenny | €23,865.00 |
| Portlaoise Tidy Towns | James Fintan Lalor Landscape & Sustainable Urban Drainage Masterplan. | South East | Laois | €39,200.00 |
| Dunhill Multi Educational Centre | Copper Coast Watercourses – their protection and conservation. | South East | Waterford | €6,179.00 |
| Enniscorthy Tidy Towns | River Slaney Community Water Project. | South East | Wexford | €6,000.00 |
| Edermine Ferry Rowing Club | River Slaney Community Clean Up Project. | South East | Wexford | €16,400.00 |
| Tulla District and Coarse Angling Club | Smart Network Water Quality and Mediation of Lough Clondroney. | South West | Clare | €15,000.00 |
| Ballyea Development Association | Outdoor classroom with associated biodiversity garden and river observation platform with river restoration and rewilding. | South West | Clare | €19,400.00 |
| Broadford Development Association Limited C.L.G. | River Conservation on the Broadford River (Glenomra River). | South West | Clare | €25,000.00 |
| Carrigaholt Development Association | Carrigaholt Biosphere Park. | South West | Clare | €32,000.00 |
| Lough Grainey Nature Sanctuary | Nature Based Solutions for the River Grainey. | South West | Clare | €10,000.00 |
| Restore Ballymacraven River Association CLG (Company No 753769) | Restore Ballymacraven River System, Ennistymon, North Clare (Phase No 2). | South West | Clare | €35,000.00 |
| Lough Atorick Catchment Management Association (LACMA) | A community collaboration to enhance water quality and biodiversity in the Lough Atorick Catchment in counties Clare and Galway. | South West | Clare | €35,000.00 |
| Cork Sub Aqua Club | Protection and Enhancement of Oysterhaven Seagrass Beds. | South West | Cork | €9,949.35 |
| The Crann Centre | Owenanare river restoration & nature-based solution as an extension of Conservation at Crann (CAC). | South West | Cork | €37,000.00 |
| IRD Duhallow Clg. | River Allow Hydromorphology Assessment Report. | South West | Cork | €17,650.00 |
| Tarbert Development Association CLG | Restoration and Rehabilitation of the Green River, Tarbert, from the timber foot bridge to the Road bridge over N67. | South West | Kerry | €29,150.00 |
| Fenit Town Hall | Video Documentary about Tralee Bay Blue Dot Catchment. | South West | Kerry | €9,000.00 |
| Granagh Development | Glasha River Garden view. | South West | Limerick | €13,500.00 |
| Annaghdown Angling Club | Kilroe / Cahermorris River & Environment Rehabilitation, Riparian Zone, Provision of alternate water supply, Ecological Study. | West | Galway | €8,610.00 |
| Cuan Beo Environmental CLG | Ballynamanagh River Restoration Project – Consultation, Assessment, & Planning. | West | Galway | €17,580.22 |
| Abhainn Dá Loilíoch Woodland Group | Phase 1 of 2 part project; Restoration of 20 acre clear fell site in Owendalluleagh River Valley. | West | Galway | €40,000.00 |
| Gort River Walk Development Group | Gort River Invasive Species management and biodiversity. | West | Galway | €6,380.00 |
| Lough Carra Catchment Association | A Feasibility Study for establishment of a biodigester to utilise slurry from the catchment of Lough Carra, Co. Mayo. | West | Mayo | €33,135.00 |
| CALL – CLimate Action Louisburgh Locality | A Hydromorphological Study of the Bunowen and the Carrowniskey Catchments to gain Baseline Data & Inform NBS for NFM. | West | Mayo | €49,648.95 |
| Gary Smyth/ Kiltimagh Amenity Park CLG | Native Nursery Establishment & Invasive Species Management. | West | Mayo | €7,920.50 |
| Mount Allen Residents Association | IAS Catchment Assessment and Management Plan on the Arigna River and Bank Stabilisation. | West | Roscommon | €11,808.00 |
| Total awarded- €1,047,265.26 | ||||
About Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) https://lawaters.ie/
Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) works on behalf of Ireland’s 31 local authorities to protect and restore good water quality in our rivers, lakes, estuaries, ground and coastal water through catchment science and local community engagement. LAWPRO was established to fulfil requirements under the European Union Water Framework Directive and is funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. LAWPRO coordinates the efforts of local authorities and other public bodies in the implementation of the River Basin Management Plan.