Mr. Jerry Grant:

Our responsibility covers the entire public water system, in both large and small areas, urban and rural areas. Scotland has been mentioned, but it has approximately 254 wastewater schemes, while we have well over 1,000. On the water supply side of things, the position is similar. Part of the cost challenge is the fact that we have such a dispersed population and so many smaller schemes. The objective of Irish Water is to apply, as near as we can, consistency of approach and standards for customers, as well as targeting investment on the basis of need to meet service standards. Many of the smaller schemes would benefit from an approach Irish Water favours, to have frameworks of contractors that can deliver standard unit solutions for small communities, in respect of which there is good potential. One could deliver ten, 15 or 20 similar typical plants across communities of an appropriate size, while getting good value for money and achieving savings. We have considerable ideas in that regard. Equally, we must examine sustainable solutions concerning reed-bed technology. We need to consider low operating costs and low energy solutions in rural areas for wastewater systems.