Vol. 479 No. 3
42 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment the way in which he proposes to stem the wastage through careless usage of treated tap water other than giving each business and household a pro-rata free water quota after which metering would be introduced on a phased basis and any interim flat charge would be offset 100 per cent against central taxation or waived for poor people to end the double taxation anomaly. [12890/97]
Local authorities, have primary responsibility for the operation of water services. The authorities regularly carry out public awareness campaigns to advise consumers of the need to avoid wasting water and such campaigns are supported at national level through information and special events provided by ENFO, my Department's Environmental Information Service. The local authorities in the Dublin region, which accounts for over one third of households nationally, have recently carried out such campaigns.
As indicated in Sustainable Development: A Strategy for Ireland, my Department is taking an initiative with the National Standards Authority of Ireland to revise the standard for water-closet cisterns to promote water conservation.
The approach being adopted in relation to leaks through water mains is set out in the reply to Question No. 7 on 15 April 1997.
