€76,184 in grants awarded for water quality projects in Donegal

The Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO), working on behalf of Ireland’s 31 local authorities to protect and restore good water quality, is awarding €76,184 to projects in Donegal.

Overall, €1,047,265.26 has been awarded 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.

In Donegal the following projects were awarded funding:
Inishowen Rivers Trust- Cloontagh River Rock Ramp Project Phase 1 (€18,887).
Cairde na hEaragaile CLG- Lough Dhún Lúiche lake and shore ecological study (€5,227).
Deele Community Anglers - The two weirs: Community Investigation Project (€12,609).
Barrack Hill Town Park Steering Committee- Barrack Hill Urban Wetland Way: Permissions and Consents (€8,354).
Letterkenny Tidy Towns- Creation of Rain Water Garden at Sentry Hill, Letterkenny (€6,037).
Ballyshannon Regeneration Group- Ballyshannon and Environs Green and Blue Space Discovery Project (€10,070).
Kilcar Parish Council- Kilcar Invasive Species Removal Project (€15,000).

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 in Donegal and nationwide 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.