€69K water connection fee puts Rylane community project in jeopardy

Plans to deliver a new community centre for Rylane face a significant setback due to a €69,500 water connection fee charge by Uisce Éireann.

The Rylane Community Park Association, the voluntary group delivering the new community centre for the Cork village, wants Uisce Éireann to review its policy in relation to non profit and volunteer led organisations.

"We were due to have construction starting in the next two to three weeks. But that is looking like it is not going to happen now," chairperson of Rylane Community Park Association Linda Grimes told The Echo.

Dara Calleary, the rural and community development and the gaeltacht minister, turned the sod on the new €2 million community centre in Rylane at the end of November.

The project, which has received €1.8 million under the Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF), will be a new community space that will include a multi purpose community hall, meeting rooms, a community dining area and a range of other services.

Although Rylane Community Park Association are is in the process of raising the remaining €200,000 through fundraising, Ms Grimes said the Uisce Éireann commercial rate fee of €69,500 could potentially jeopardise the commmunity centre project.

“We are not opening a shopping centre in the middle of Rylane. It is a tiny community hub building is what we are trying to open, to benefit everyone in the community.

“If we don’t get funding from a government department to support the water connection, our project will have to be put on hold.

“There is no social outlet in the village. So, this is vitally important for the whole of the community in Rylane. To have this hub building to bring the community together in different aspects.” 

On what action she would like to see next from Uisce Éireann Ms Grimes added: "If they (Uisce Éireann) could review the cost and quote us as domestic not commercial that would hopefully bring down the cost significantly.” 

Rylane Community Park Association was founded in 2016 and has to date delivered an astroturf facility, a playground and a soccer pitch for the 600 residents of Rylane.

Cork Fine Gael senator Eileen Lynch has also recently highlighted the issue of the new Rylane community centre in the Seanad, questioning why community groups are charged the same as commercial businesses for water connection fees.

A spokesperson from Uisce Éireann told The Echo in response to a query on the Rylane Community Centre: “Uisce Éireann’s Connection Charging Policy (CCP), as approved by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), came into effect on 01 April 2019, following a public consultation process.

“The CCP provides for a consistent connection service and a uniform, transparent and fair charging approach to all connecting customers. In line with Uisce Éireann’s CCP there is no discount or waiver for any group of customers.

“In the case of Rylane Community Park Association, the water and wastewater connection charges are based entirely on standard charges for the pipe sizes required by the customer. There are no additional quotable elements included in the connection charge.”