D-Day Looms: What The Water Charges Will Mean For You

The water charges will officially kick in from tomorrow, October 1^st, so what exactly will this mean for the regular Irish household? First up, if your water isn’t suitable for drinking, then you won’t be paying anything until the problem is fixed according to the Irish water regulator. It was also confirmed that these households are expected to receive a 50% discount on their water bills if there is a boil-water notice for more than three months. Meanwhile, if you still haven’t had your meter installed, you will be placed on an assessed charge – which is the current best estimate of how much water a household with a certain number of adults will consume. The charge is based on adults only as children are free. A press release from the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) has stated that assessed charges will amount to €176 for a household with one adult and about an extra €102 for every extra adult. The assessed charge is calculated on the basis that there will be 66,000 litres consumed by an average adult, with an additional 21,000 litres allowed per child per year. Meanwhile, if you already have your water meter installed you will be charged on consumption-based charges. This bill will be capped at the assessed charges for nine months. The free allowance remains at 30,000 litres per household, and as aforementioned, 21,000 per child annually. The metered rates are €4.88 per 1,000 litres for both the waste and drinking water services. A property that only needs one service (such as a house with a septic tank) will be charged at or €2.44 per 1,000 litres. If there is a leak in the premises, the charges will again be capped until the leak is fixed. Additionally, customers with medical conditions who need extra water will be capped at the assessed charge, and any usage above that level will be free. “Having considered the public comments..the CER is today bringing clarity to the matter and introducing a number of changes which we hope will benefit customers,” said Paul McGowan, CER Commissioner. “These changes include an extension of capped water charges from six to nine months and a commitment to a zero charge for the water supply element of the bill for domestic customers on a boil water notice."