Michael Harty (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

With regard to the Irish Water controversy, it is my belief that all homes and businesses should be metered, and the average usage of domestic water per person should be determined by initial metering. The UN has declared water is a human right and has calculated that a person needs between 50 litres and 100 litres of water daily to meet their needs for consumption, cleaning, cooking and other domestic uses.

The average consumption per person in Ireland is 150 litres to 170 litres per day. Countries which have introduced metering have reduced consumption by 40% by being conscious that water is a precious resource. If this were replicated in Ireland it would mean approximately 100 litres per day would be the new Irish average. If this volume, or an agreed volume, is exceeded there should be a charge for the excess volume. A 40% conservation would lead to decreased production and treatment costs and would allow this saving to be invested in infrastructure.

Leakage of water from the system prior to arriving at its destination can be up to 50%. Thus, Irish Water, through infrastructural investment, should be able to reduce the leakage to less than 25% and reduce production costs, making additional savings. Savings in water production and the charges for commercial use and excessive domestic use could then be supplemented by general taxation to allow Irish Water to continue its essential infrastructure work on water delivery and wastewater treatment so that good clean water is available to everyone at no cost or at a reasonable cost.

Water must be seen as a precious valuable resource which must be used responsibly. Irish Water needs to be restructured and reviewed to be efficient and effective. Additionally, Irish Water need to be retained in public ownership. Irish Water engineers and front-line staff should not be vilified but supported in their work. However, the management structure needs to be reviewed and restructured now to prevent it becoming over-managed and under-led, similar to the HSE. Our water system must be modernised urgently to bring Ireland to international standards at a reasonable agreed cost.

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