Unless you've had your head under a rock, you've probably heard that water charges are set to be introduced in Ireland.
The charges will begin in October of this year and the first bills will be coming through your letterbox in the first quarter of 2015 so whether you are a homeowner or a tenant, your wallet is likely to start feeling the pinch before long. However, don't worry if you haven't been paying attention as we have all the details that you need to know.
Will I have to pay?
The occupier of the property that gets water services from Irish Water will be liable to pay domestic water charges. If you own a property, you will be presumed to be the occupier, until you prove that this is not the case. If you own more than one property, you'll have to pay charges for each.
If your water comes from a private well or a group water scheme and you have a private wastewater treatment system (such as a septic tank), you will not be regarded as a customer of Irish Water and will not have to pay domestic water charges.
How much will I have to pay?
Things are still being confirmed and negotiations are underway so the final cost of the service is not yet known. At the moment, it is believed that there will be an annual charge of €240 per year and rates will be fixed for 2015 and 2016. Plans for a standing charge have been scrapped but you will incur a fee for any water used over the permitted allowance.
How much can I use before I will be charged?
Each household will be allocated 30,000 litres, with an additional quota of up to 38,000 litres per child under age 18. Metres will be installed in each home to calculate use and charges will be capped for people whose medical condition requires extra water usage.
Is that a lot?
Not really. According to the
Irish Times, a typical shower uses 80 litres and the average person uses about 52,000 litres of water each year. A household of two adults and two children would be expected to go through 208,000 litres of water annually.
What is my metre hasn't been installed on time?
If you don't have a metre when the billing period begins, your bill will be based on standard usage based on occupancy. It's understood that rebates will be available for households whose actual usage is shown to be lower when they do get a meter.
How can I keep an eye on my usage?
The water meters will be accessible for householder so that they can monitor their usage. Households are also encourage to identify leaks by checking the meter before and after a period where they are away from home and to notify Irish Water if they find a leak. There will be a 'free first fix' scheme for leaks on the customer side of the meter and Irish Water is expected to announce details shortly.
For more information on Irish Water and water charges, click
here.
