Notice Board

DTGWS Award

At the 2025 National Federation of Group Water Schemes rural water conference, held in the Clayton Hotel, Galway, on the 11th September,  Dysart Toonagh GWS was again for the fourth year in a row announced as an award winner in the 2024 Group Water Scheme Excellence Awards. Organised by the National Federation of Group Water Schemes (NFGWS), the annual awards recognise the hard work and initiative being shown by GWS across the country, in four different categories

Dysart Toonagh GWS was revealed as an award winner for ‘Quality Assurance and Water Safety Planning’ category. DTGWS demonstrated that an effective system of monitoring is being implemented across all critical control points within the supply network. The monitoring system combines a use of remote technology and manual checks to ensure that both water quality and demand levels are optimal. DTGWS was also announced as an award winner in the community engagement award, for the second time in three years. This award highlights how DTGWS continuously communicates with its members 

The highlight of the day for DTGWS was when Noel Tierney received a richly deserved award for GWS Ethos and Volunteerism. Noel has been part of DTGWS Board since the early 1980's before becoming the DTGWS full time manager in 2008. After he retired as DTGWS manager in October 2021 Noel was Co-opted onto the DTGWS board and Elected Treasurer, a role he still holds. DTGWS will always be indebted to Noel for the huge amount of work he did in upgrading and developing the group water scheme into the excellent GWS that now exists.

Noel was and still is involved in a wide range of other local organisations in a voluntary basic.

• Ruan & Dysart Resource Group : Founder member of Ruan & Dysart Resource Group in 1993 and still on the Board.  

• Youth Club: Re-opened the local Youth Club, in 1988 which he ran for numerous years

• GAA: Coaching at under age level for 10 years from 1986 to 1996 

• Local Residents Association: Founder Member of Residents association in 1975 

• Toonagh Community Centre Noel got involved with the Community Centre in the late 1970s, and is currently its treasure 

Water Refill Station:

In November 2023 DTGWS installed a water bottle refill station. The refill station is situated on the school side of the carpark between the school and the community center. This is a contactless refill station that will refill your water bottle once placed on the bottle opening. We would hope that this will be well used by the school and the local community.

AGM:

The AGM was held on 14th May 2025 at 8.30 pm at the new office/meeting room in the Toonagh Community Center.   

Meter Reading:

Next Meter reading will be in Jan 2026

Next Billing:

Next Invoices will be issued in Jan 2026, covering the usage from July 2025 to Dec 2025

Planned outages:

There are no planned outages - disruptions at present.

Capital Replacement:

Capital replacement works at the treatment plant was completed in November 2023.

Source Protection:

The Source Protection Survey has now been completed, and recommendations have been put forward to the Board. 

De-Sludging of Septic Tanks

During 2016 our Group Water Scheme was selected by the NFGWS & the EPA to take part in a desludging project of septic tanks. The chief purpose of the project was to protect the water quality of our drinking water supply, while also assisting people to comply with the legislation of maintaining their own septic tanks

With this in mind the Dysart Toonagh Group Water Scheme are again asking shareholder to consider desludging their septic tanks. CES - Cahir Environmental Services has again undertaken to carry out desludging of Septic Tanks for Shareholders of the Scheme at a reduced rate, during the Summer months. If any shareholder wishes to avail of this service, at the reduced rate, please contact CES directly, stating that they are members of Dysart Toonagh Group Water Scheme.

The contact details for CES are 0656866850 or info@cesenvironmental.ie.

Rural Water Programme 2024 to 2026:

DTGW were successful in getting capital funding of €615,000 through the Multi Annual Rural Water Program 2024-2026. This money was allocated for 2 projects where DTGWS are going to replace large sections of water mains these areas are

1900m of replacement 6 inch pipe network from Killeenan to Ballybrody

1900 m of replace to 4 inch pipe  from  Ballybrody cross to railway cottage in Kilkee East

DTGWS have appointed a consultant engineer to over see this work 

Toonagh School Tour:

As part of an ongoing commitment to environmental education students from Toonagh National School recently completed a very informative tour of the water scheme and surrounds. 

In June 2025 DTGWS manager Matthew Rynne along with the Claire Nangle from the  NFGWS visited the 5th and 6th classes of Toonagh National School. Adrian gave a presentation on the importance and necessity of water and Matthew gave a presentation on the history of the DTGWS and all the work carried out in bringing water from source to tap . The class were then taken to visit the DTGWS source at Ballycullinan lake and the importance of source protection (as discussed in the school presentation) was highlighted to them here. It is easier to show them the large area the zone of contribution covers rather than just showing them a map of the area in the presentation.

Next they were given a tour of the treatment plant In Soheen Dysart and the process been completed there to get the water to a level safe for human consumption. The Treatment plant tour finished off with a question and answer session . On return to Toonagh School, the class were shown how a scour valve works on the network and how to test the chlorine residual levels. DTGWS then presented the class with reusable drinking bottles with the DTGWS logo on them.

Check your meter regularly:

All shareholders are urged to regularly check their water meters. Care should be taken when inspecting meters at the roadside, 

High Visibility Vest should be worn and it is extremely important that the inspection covers be replaced properly. 

Rural Water Conference:

The National Federation Group Water Scheme Annual Conference will be held on 11th of September 2025 in Athlone. All details and presentations are available on nfgws.ie