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[Press Release: September 26th, 2005] De Burca welcomes new capital water projects for County WicklowGreen Party councillor, Deirdre de Burca has welcomed news of a range of new capital water projects for County Wicklow. Councillors were given this information at a recent meeting of the Environment Strategic Policy Committee of Wicklow County Council."A new water supply for Wicklow at a cost of 20 million euros has been with the Department of the Environment for approval since October 2004" says de Burca. "Construction is due to start in February 2007 pending Department approval". De Burca says that a water supply for West Wicklow has also been approved, costing 18 million euros, and that this will involve the construction of a reservoir at Glending. She also refers to the Newtown regional water supply scheme whose approved cost is 11 million euros. The scheme is with the Department for approval and should be developed by 2009 approximately. She expressed a particular welcome for news of a water supply for Arklow at an approved cost of 16 million euros and claims that this supply should be available by 2008. "I have expressed my concerns on many occasions about the fact that so much new development is going ahead in Arklow at present when the existing water supply is poor" she says. "At least a new supply is now in the offing". The Green Party councillor claims that the water supply for the village of Enniskerry has been overstretched and she has welcomed the announcement of an extra supply, at a cost of almost 3 million euros, that should be available by early 2007. Councillor de Burca also welcomed the news that Wicklow County Council has decided not to privatise the water metering service for non-domestic customers in the county. "At one point the possibility of totally privatising the administration of the water-metering service was being discussed by the council on the recommendation of the consultants it hired" says de Burca. "I expressed by strong opposition to this as I believe that this service should be publicly run. Apparently the council executive discussed the issue with staff and unions through the partnership structure that has been established and it was agreed that the administration of the water-metering should remain in the hands of the council".
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