Well Water Grants
More than 11% of Irish households rely on private wells, boreholes, and other private water sources for their drinking water. While private wells provide an independent source of water, they also come with an important responsibility.
Unlike public water supplies, private wells are not routinely monitored or treated by local authorities. This means homeowners are responsible for ensuring their water is safe, clean, and suitable for drinking, cooking, bathing, and everyday household use.
If your well water suffers from contamination, staining, unpleasant tastes or odours, or other quality issues, you may be eligible for financial assistance through the Well Grant Scheme.
At Hydrotech Water Services, we help homeowners throughout Ireland improve their water quality and navigate the grant application process with confidence.
Current Well Grant Categories
New Well Construction
Grant aid of 85% of approved costs, up to a maximum of €5,000.
Rehabilitation of Existing Wells
Grant aid of 85% of approved costs, up to a maximum of €3,000.
Water Treatment Systems
Grant aid of 100% of approved costs, up to a maximum of €1,000. This category may include treatment systems designed to improve water quality, such as UV disinfection and filtration equipment.
What Works Qualify for a Well Grant?
Eligible works may include:
- Drilling of a new well
- Provision of essential pumping
- Water filtration/disinfection equipment (excluding water softeners)
- Rehabilitating an existing well, including deepening or relining an existing bore or the removal of silt
- Providing or upgrading a supply of water from a surface water source
- Provision or improvement of mechanical or electrical equipment or facilities in connection with the supply of water
Grant approval is subject to local authority assessment and eligibility requirements.
Grant applications can be submitted to avail:
- Grant aid solely for rehabilitation works or drilling new well or treat works
- Grant aid for rehabilitation plus treatment works
- Grant aid for the provision of a new well plus treatment works
Note: Applicants cannot avail both grant amounts for well rehabilitation (€3000) plus drilling a new well (€5000).
Eligibility Criteria
An applicant may be considered eligible for a grant if the following criteria are met:
- Your house is over 7 years old.
- You are not connected to a public water supply or cannot be reasonably served by a public or group water supply scheme source.
- The house is not located in an area that is or is about to be, served by Irish Water or a Group Water Scheme.
- You have not received grant assistance for Domestic Water Supply within the last 7 years. This includes grant aid in relation to treatment works.
- The cost of the proposed work is more than €750.
- The house is occupied by the applicant as a normal place of residence.
How to Apply for Grant?
The well grant application process is administered through your local authority. While the exact requirements may vary slightly between counties, the process typically involves several key steps.
The first step is to assess the quality of your existing water supply. A detailed water analysis can identify issues such as bacterial contamination, iron, manganese, acidity, hardness, hydrogen sulphide or other contaminants that may require treatment.
Once the problem has been identified, quotations for the proposed works or treatment system must be obtained and submitted as part of the application. In many cases, the local authority may also require an inspection of the existing water supply before approval is granted.
It is important to note that grant approval must be received before any work begins. Works completed before approval may not qualify for funding.
After the installation or improvement works have been completed, additional documentation and water testing may be required before the grant payment can be processed.
Hydrotech Water Services can help you each step of the way in your grant application. From providing quote for water treatment works to assisting you in filling out the forms, we are just a call away.
Get in touch with our team to check if you are eligible for a water treatment grant.