Mr. Paul McGowan:

There will only be one meter. It will measure the water that enters the property. As Mr. Tierney mentioned, the cost of the provision of clean water and the treatment of wastewater must be covered. Some people have both a water supply and wastewater services whereas others only have one or the other. Therefore, we must devise a fair charging structure that deals with all of these scenarios. International experience tends to show that the bulk of the water entering a property exits it through a wastewater treatment service if there happens to be one. The charging system should reflect this. If, for example, the cost is split 50:50, there would be an identifiable charge for water in and another for water out. How this is presented in a bill is yet to be determined, but it stands to reason that we must determine a water in charge and a water out charge in order to put a fair system of charging in place for all customers. The only caveat is that the nuances and how it will work will be subject to public consultation. We are also subject to ministerial direction. That could happen. In terms of good regulatory practice, however, we must identify the costs associated with the provision and treatment of water.