Multyfarnham GWS wins national award for community engagement
A Westmeath group water scheme has been recognised for its contribution to community life after Multyfarnham GWS was named the overall winner of the Community Engagement category at the 2026 GWS Excellence Awards.
The award recognises initiatives by group water schemes which strengthen community participation, encourage local leadership and demonstrate the wider social value of these schemes in rural Ireland.
Multyfarnham GWS was among the organisations recognised at the annual awards ceremony, which took place during the Rural Water Services Conference on September 10.
The awards, organised by the National Federation of Group Water Schemes (NFGWS), celebrate achievements by community-owned water schemes across areas including water quality, climate action, biodiversity and community engagement.
The Westmeath scheme was one of nine recipients of a GWS Excellence Flag in the Community Engagement category, but went on to take the overall award.
Other Excellence Flag recipients in the category included Ballinagar GWS in Offaly, Curraglass GWS in Cork, Cappataggle District Community GWS in Galway, Carrigahorig/Milford GWS in Tipperary, Dysart-Toonagh GWS in Clare, Glencorrib GWS in Mayo, Kilkenny West GWS and Meath Hill GWS.
The awards were presented by Christopher O’Sullivan TD, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, who praised the growth of the awards over the past six years.
He said the achievements reflected the dedication, passion and hard work of people involved in the sector and that the awards provided an opportunity to showcase the work of group water schemes to the wider community.
The 2026 awards attracted entries from group water schemes around the country, highlighting the role of local communities in managing water services while also addressing environmental and community priorities.
Speaking at the conference, NFGWS CEO Mark Farrelly said the awards celebrated the community spirit that had sustained rural water services in Ireland for generations.
He said behind every award and nomination were people giving their time, expertise and energy to ensure their communities had access to high-quality drinking water.
“The strength of the group water scheme movement has always been rooted in neighbours helping neighbours, and communities working together to create a better future for all,” he said.
Multyfarnham GWS’s success came at an event themed ‘Community Solutions for Rural Water Challenges’, with the NFGWS highlighting the importance of community-led approaches as rural water services continue to evolve.
The awards also provided an opportunity for schemes to share best practice and showcase innovative approaches that could benefit other communities.
Multyfarnham GWS’s national recognition puts the Westmeath scheme among a group of community-led organisations being highlighted for their contribution to rural Ireland.
The NFGWS is now encouraging group water schemes across the country to begin preparing entries for the 2027 Excellence Awards, with the aim of continuing to recognise innovation, voluntary commitment and community leadership within the sector.