Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

When I read the presentation, I could not get my head around the fact that Scottish Water had run a very successful system without the need for individual meters attached to each household. It is using district metering and also detects leaks very successfully in this way. I do not know if the delegates know this, but we have spent a fortune on meters for individual houses, which makes it all the more intriguing. I did not actually believe it, but now that I have heard them explaining it, the reality has hit home.

Both companies offer discounts to people on lower incomes. Do they offer any based on household circumstances? There is greater usage in a household with more members, but if there is a fixed charge, I assume that will not come into play. Do they have a programme of exemptions based on income or anything else?