Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The issue of rainwater harvesting raised by Deputy Joan Collins is an important point. Conservation measures must go hand in hand with water metering in order to get public acceptance of what is happening. The selling of the message through Irish Water, Uisce Éireann, to the consumer is critical. I concur that all the issues need to be addressed in order that the public understands them. There will be an intensive national, regional and local campaign to provide information to consumers so that they will accept and acknowledge the fact that if they use less water they will pay less for it, but if they use more they will pay more. That is what metering is about, namely, that one accounts for the water one uses through what one pays for it. If we can encourage people to use less water, it will reduce the demand on the State for infrastructure down the road.

I do not accept that this move is politically and economically negative. Rather, I believe it is important because we will save money, we will have new synergies and a better water supply. The reality is that the evidence, nationally and internationally, and I have spoken to people about this everywhere I have visited, shows there is a significant reduction in consumption following metering. I have not seen a percentage less than at least 12% in this respect. I have seen figures as high as 50%, 60%, 70% and 80% in terms of the conservation of water in some places. I would not be worried about that aspect.

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