COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TERENURE-RATHFARNHAM AREA COMMITTEE (2)

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

MOTION NO. 13

MOTION: Councillor C. Keane

"That this committee agrees that water facilities be provided on the community garden allotment- plot on St James Road i.e. same facility as are provided for on Council garden allotments. The water is piped in close proximity so cost factor would not be prohibitive.  Noting this is a community not for profit garden allotment."

REPORT:

The allotments plot at St James' Road is not under the administration of the Council's allotments system and no payment is made to the Council for the facility. The average cost of an allotment under the Council allotment system is €48 annually per allotment holder with a reduction applying for old age pensioners. Payment for water supply is factored into the price charged.

The current Council charge to a customer wishing to be connected to the water service main is €550 where the main is already at the boundary of the property concerned. In relation to the Greenhills allotments at St James' Road, the allotment holders as a group would have to employ a contractor to lay a service pipe in order to bring the water supply main to the boundary of the allotment.The work would involve excavation and the reinstatement of the laneway and footpath/road. A road opening licence from the Council would also be required. The Senior Executive Engineer, Water Maintenance, has reported that the nearest water main to the Greenhills allotments plot  is a 6” diameter main in St James’ Road. In order to bring water to the allotment a service would have to be laid in an adjacent laneway between a garden and St James’ Road, a distance of about 50m.  An application for a metered connection to the main would then have to be made by the allotment holders as a group. 

Under the Water Framework Directive, the Council would be required to meter the connection and charge according to vulumetric use as the connection would be totally for non- domestic use.  There would also be a quarterly meter rental charge.

The Council discourages the use of treated drinking water for garden use and is currently involved in a regional promotion aimed at the conservation of water.The Council would encourage Greenhills Community Council Garden Project to firstly consider continued rainwater harvesting to service their allotments. Further information on this can be obtained on taptips website www.taptips.ie