Metered Water Charges

Whether we like it or not, water charges are coming our way. This is a topic that has generated quite heated debate in virtually every corner of Ireland in recent weeks and months, and it’s not letting up. What has traditionally been a public good is being transformed into a commodity. An economic good with a price, and a price that all households are about to bear.

Why pay for water?

Whatever side of the debate you sit on, you can boast a pretty strong argument. On one hand, water is becoming a more scarce resource, compounded by environmental issues. There are concerns over the security of water, with government bodies having to incur the costs associated with adequate security measures to ensure the water we are supplied with is safe and consumable.

On the other hand, households are being hit with another recurring charge, at a time when many of them are already at the pin of their collar.  A frustration that is enhanced by the timing of the implementation of yet another charge by Government, when the wounds of the financial crisis are still far from healed. It is an emotive topic and for many. But, one thing is certain, we will not avoid water charge.

The key questions in how much will we pay?

It is estimated that by 2016, that the vast majority of homes in Ireland will have water meters installed. The minority of homes that do not will comprise apartments in which the metering process is more difficult. So the question on most people’s lips is “How much are we going to pay?”. The exact price of new water charges has not yet been published. However, there are many leading advisory bodies in the market whom are using some of the figures quoted by government to estimate what we can expect to pay for metered water charges. Money Guide Ireland is one such advisory providing a comprehensive breakdown of the expected costs.

Preparing for the implementation of charges

So, the charges are coming and there is nothing we can do to avoid them. However, in the case of metered water charges, there are steps you can take to ensure that you don’t pay more than you should post implementation of the charges. Assessing your premise for drainage issues is a sensible first step. If you have surface water in your garden, it may signal a leak. This is something you will want to remedy before the implementation of water charges. Our team at EDS Ireland can assess your premises to ensure it is leak free with fully functional drainage. If we find issues, we can resolve the quickly and cost efficiently. Talk to one of our team today on 01-8415011.