Ireland will invest €470m ($604m) in a water treatment plant to pump water to Dublin and its nearby counties.
The plant will be set up on the border of Offaly and Laois with a capacity to supply 350 million litres of water a day to meet water shortages in Dublin and the surrounding areas.
The greater Dublin city area uses about 540 million litres of water a day, while the existing water-treatment facilities produce 518 million litres of water.
The plant, which is expected to be completed by 2016, will supply water to four Dublin local authorities as well as Meath, Wicklow, Kildare, Offaly and Westmeath, according to independent.ie.
Of the initial €470m funds, €8m ($10m) is earmarked for operation costs every year from 2020, rising to €15m ($19m) in 2040 when the plant reaches full capacity.
