Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 April 2014
433. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the number of water meters installed to date on a county basis; and the target to date and estimated number due to be completed by the end of the year. [17835/14]
View answer434. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on water meter progress; the total number to be installed on a county basis; his plans for metering apartment blocks and other properties originally deemed unsuitable; when water metering is due to be completed; and if targets will be met. [17836/14]
View answer442. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the arrangements that will be put in place to support householders and local authorities repair internal sometimes under-floor leakages identified following installation of water meters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17910/14]
View answer447. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if Irish Water is responsible for water meters, in view of the fact that the meter is located outside the boundary wall on a public street and presumably the resident could not then be liable for a malfunction or damage by a third party. [17935/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 433, 434, 442 and 447 together.
The Programme for Government sets out a commitment to the introduction of water charges based on usage above a free allowance. The Government considers that charging based on usage is the fairest way to charge for water and it has, therefore, decided that water meters should be installed in households connected to public water supplies. The Water Services Act 2013 provided for the establishment of Irish Water as an independent subsidiary within the Bord Gáis Éireann Group and assigned the necessary powers to allow Irish Water to undertake the metering programme.
The total number of water meter installations installed as at close of business on 12 April 2014 is approximately 185,500. My Department does not have a county by county breakdown of this figure. Irish Water has indicated that it is meeting the target of 27,000 installations per month and at least 400,000 meters will be installed by the end of this year.
Local authorities are in the final stages of a pre-installation survey of households connected to public water supplies. The survey is providing information to Irish Water on the properties that can be metered. The intention is that a meter will be installed in any household connected to a public water supply where it is technically feasible to do so. A study commissioned by Irish Water on possible approaches to metering properties that are not part of the current metering programme, including apartments and properties with shared service connections, has been recently submitted to my Department for consideration. Any proposals for the metering of such properties would need to be considered by the Government in the first instance.
As part of the metering programme, my Department, in conjunction with Irish Water, is currently working on a proposal regarding customer-side leakage, the implementation arrangements for which will have to be worked out with Irish Water. In common with meters for other utility services, the meters will be the property of Irish Water which will also be responsible for meter repair and maintenance. Section 74 of the Water Services Act 2007 provides that it is an offence to damage or otherwise impair a water meter.
