While water charges will be based on usage with no free allowance in a second home – where they are not permanently occupied a minimum charge may be applied. This will be considered by the CER. Therefore, any water usage in non-primary residences will be charged.
FAQs
The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government has stated that the circa €537 million per annum in Government subvention of Irish Water in 2015 and 2016 will be conditional on the average water charge for households being €240 per year, subject to final assessment by the Commission for Energy Regulation.
Primary residences will receive a free household allowance. Free allowances for children will also apply to primary residences. Non-principal private residences (such as holiday homes) will not receive a free household allowance.
Each household will receive a free allowance of 30,000 litres of supplied water (and a corresponding amount of waste water) a year per primary residence. In addition, households will receive an additional free allowance for every child under 18 (aligned with entitlement to child benefit) to cover a child’s normal consumption of water supplied and waste water treated (this will be up to 38,000 litres per annum - the level of consumption underpinning this allowance to be verified from actual metering data); effectively, water charges will only apply to adults.
This means for a family of 2 adults and 2 young children, using about 190,000 litres of water, the free
allowance will be 106,000 litres - more than 50% of their usage.
No. The free allowance is for a person’s primary residence.
The CER has commenced public consultation on the proposed structure of tariffs and this includes consideration of transitional arrangements for people moving from assessed to metered charges. The Minister has indicated his intention that CER should in this context ensure provision for retrospective adjustment of charges including a rebate (above a reasonable threshold).
The current subvention of group water schemes will be adjusted to align subvention with the free allowance approach towards households on public water supplies to ensure households in this sector receive equivalent support, while allowing for any transitional issues, to sustain improvements in quality in the group water sector. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government will consult with the National Federation of Group Water Schemes on arrangements for the group water sector.
During 2014, the CER is expected to publicly consult and make decisions on a number of issues,
including:
domestic water charges tariff design and structure;
non-domestic water charges tariff structure and glide path;
Irish Water’s interim revenue requirement (2014 to mid-2016);
customer protection measures, including codes of practice; and
connection charging methodology.
The current timeline for the CER’s public consultations and decisions is:
April
Domestic tariff structure (part of water charges plan) – consultation underway
Non-domestic tariff structure and glidepath (part of water charges plan) – consultation underway
Water customer handbook – consultation underway
June
Water charges plan (including allowed revenue, tariff structures and levels, and connection charging methodology) – consultation
This paper will include draft decisions on the domestic tariff structure, non-domestic tariff structure and glidepath, and connection charging policy
July
Water Customer Handbook (decision)
August
Water Charges Plan (decision)
The occupier of a premises is liable for paying domestic water charges. Under the Water Services (No.2) Act 2013, it is presumed that the owner of a premises is the occupier unless proved otherwise. Where a customer fails to pay a charge, it shall be recoverable by Irish Water as a simple contract debt in any court of competent jurisdiction.
The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government will issue a direction to the CER, following consultation with the Minister for Health, the HSE and Irish Water on qualifying conditions, which will for example include people using home kidney dialysis.
