Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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Mr. Grant identified the Irish Water programme for refurbishing meters and reducing pressure zones through pressure reduction valves. Do we have any figures on the amount of wastage that has been detected and fixed in respect of the mains side and the associated work? Mr. Grant stated that it cost tens of millions. The cost was probably €30 million or €40 million or whatever. How much water has been saved through that work? Do we have an estimate?

The expert group report recommends an excessive usage charge. Obviously, if we decide on an excessive usage charge, it can only be applied to metered customers. It cannot be applied to customers who are not metered. The question of equity and fairness arises in that regard. Is that something we can decide on? Many people will be wasting water that is not metered and cannot be detected. The Commission for Energy Regulation might be the appropriate body to comment on that aspect.

Reference was made to the fact that we have meters in place. They are useful tools. If we were starting off we probably would have made a decision not to install them in the first place. The views of Welsh Water were telling. That company identified wastage on the side of their customers but it has reduced overall wastage down to 20%. By international standards, that is a positive figure. It is not cost effective for Welsh Water to go after the wastage on the customer side on the basis of a cost benefit analysis undertaken. That is something we need to keep in mind as well.

If the people who have meters were subject to an excessive waste charge, they would be billed for that. If they refused to pay that bill and refuse to fix the leak, Irish Water would have to go down the road of taking the customer to the District Court and recovering that debt as an ordinary commercial debt. The process contrasts with the waste water notice process contained in the 2007 Act. It could be equally as cumbersome to resolve those issues. Can the Irish Water representatives comment on the process in respect of the excessive use?