Silouette graphic representing Tipperary

FAQs

This average figure has been calculated on the basis of the projected operational and capital costs of Irish water based on a high level model and various CSO data. The CER will be reviewing Irish Water costs in detail to ensure that only efficiently incurred expenditure is passed on to customers.
 

Households can contact Irish Water’s customer contact centre (Ph: 1890 278 278), which will provide an indicative timetable for when meters will be installed in a certain area.
 

For households fitted with an Irish Water meter when charging commences, charges will be based on usage above a free allowance. Each household will receive a free allowance of 30,000 litres of water (and a corresponding amount of waste water treated) a year. To put this in context: the average household (2.7 people) uses about 140,000 litres of water per year in relation to its primary residence.
In addition, households will receive from Irish Water a free allowance to cover a child’s normal consumption of water supplied and waste water treated so that charges only apply to adults in households.
The allowance per child will be up to 38,000 litres per annum - the level of consumption underpinning this allowance to be verified from actual metering data); charges will be based on usage above the free allowance. The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) will, following public consultation, determine the water tariff as part of Irish Water’s water charges plan – the CER has indicated that this will be finalised in August.
Households connected to the public systems but without an Irish Water meter will be charged on an assessed basis, using a good proxy for usage. The CER will, following public consultation, determine the assessed water tariff as part of Irish Water’s water charges plan, which will be finalised in August.
In addition, the Minister will be issuing the CER with a direction, using his statutory powers, to provide that:
the fixing of domestic charges for 2015 and 2016;
there will be no standing charge for domestic customers for social and environmental
reasons (a minimum charge may be applied to properties that are not permanently
occupied e.g. holiday homes);
assessed charges will be based primarily on occupancy and possibly refined based on
data from metered usage to ensure that they are as close a proxy for metered usage as
possible;
the CER to ensure provision is made for retrospective adjustment of charges including a
rebate (above a reasonable threshold) in the context of transitional arrangements for
people from moving from assessed to metered home;
charges to be capped for people with high water usage due to certain medical
conditions; and
Irish Water to take account of the quality of services provided to customers, including
circumstances where services are reduced or restricted (e.g. due to boil water notices).
 

The Government has sought, through its decisions on the free allowance, to protect larger families and households with single occupants, groups identified through work by an inter-Departmental group (IDG) on affordability measures issues as being potentially vulnerable. These groups and people with high water usage due to medical conditions were also identified by the community and voluntary pillar of social partnership, which engaged with the IDG. The IDG will continue to work to oversee the practical administrative arrangements for the free allowance.
 

There will be no standing charge for domestic customers but a minimum charge may be applied to properties that are not permanently occupied e.g. holiday homes.
 

The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) will make a final decision on the level of water charges
in August, following public consultation on Irish Water’s water charges plan. It has commenced
public consultation on the tariff structure and design. The CER will outline decisions in June 2014
based on the outcome of this consultation and the policy direction of the Minister.
 

Water charges will commence on 1 October 2014, but households can expect to receive their first bills in Quarter 1 2015, with bills issued in arrears, similar to domestic electricity and gas bills.
 

Residences in the following cases would be customers of Irish Water.
Where the residence is connected to the public mains and a public sewer.
Where the residence is connected to the public mains but has its own waste water treatment such as a septic tank or other waste water treatment system
Where the residence is connected to a group water scheme and uses a public sewer.
Where the residence has its own private well and uses a public sewer.
Residences in the following cases would not be customers of Irish Water.
Where the residence is connected to a group water scheme and has its own waste water treatment such as a septic tank or other waste water treatment system
Where the residence has its own private well and has its own waste water treatment such as a septic tank or other waste water treatment system
 

The CER will make a determination on this following public consultation on the non-domestic tariff structure. However, the Minister envisages that any decision by the CER will be guided by the principle of equity for all customers with a domestic supply.