Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this topic. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Ciarán Cannon.

I appreciate that further legislation relating to Uisce Éireann is on its way down the tracks. The specific problem I am raising relates to Bord Gáis Energy's search for water meter operators which is going through the eTenders process. A number of people have raised the issue with me. According to the tender notice, Bord Gáis Energy is looking to install meters that will be capable of being read by hand-held electronic devices, without stop valves, etc., having to be opened. The meter readers will not have to physically examine each meter; they will be able to read it electronically.

While I do not like to be parochial, the best figures I have with regard to this problem are for my local area. Approximately 55,000 of the approximately 70,000 houses in County Kildare are connected to the public water mains. Between 4,000 and 6,000 houses in the county that were built after 2004, when the installation of water meters was first required as part of planning conditions, have water meters in place. A number of the householders in question have contacted me to express concern that their water meters might not be compatible with what Bord Gáis Energy is seeking as part of the eTenders process. Some meters have been installed since before 2004. Some of them may be at the wrong depth, while others may be of the wrong type to be read in this way. Some of the old-style manual meters which are fairly large and have to be read physically are still in use.

As we know, people will be charged for the installation of meters through their water bills. Those who already have water meters are worried that they will be charged for their removal if they are deemed to be incompatible with what Bord Gáis Energy is looking for in the eTenders document, in addition to being charged for the installation of a new meter. Some of them paid for meter installation as part of the purchase of their houses, while others paid for it when they installed their own meters. I would like the Minister of State to give the House a commitment that Bord Gáis Energy will not charge people who have existing water meters in place if these meters need to be replaced to make them compatible with what is being required of the operators in using water reading systems. They should not be charged for the installation of new meters.

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The introduction of domestic water charges is provided for in the programme for Government and the memorandum of understanding with the European Union, the IMF and the ECB. The Government considers that charging based on usage is the fairest way to charge for water. It has decided that water meters should be installed in households connected to public water supplies. It has also decided that Irish Water, a new State-owned water company to be established as an independent subsidiary within the Bord Gáis Energy group, will be responsible for the metering programme. The procurement process for the metering programme is under way. It is expected that the installation of meter boxes and domestic water meters will begin in the middle of this year and rolled out as quickly as possible thereafter. The Water Services Act 2013 assigns the necessary powers to Irish Water to allow it to undertake the metering programme. Census 2011 reported that approximately 1.35 million domestic properties were connected to public water supplies in Ireland. The objective is to install meters in the maximum number of these properties. A national survey has commenced to provide additional information on the suitability of individual properties for metering and on the work involved for the installations.

In recent years many local authorities have required developers to install meter boundary boxes in domestic properties. Local authorities have installed boundary boxes in some areas as part of water mains rehabilitation works. As local authorities have not installed water meters in these boundary boxes, no issues relating to the compatibility of meters will arise. Where a boundary box has been installed, the cost of installing a meter will be significantly lower as no excavation or reinstatement works will be required. The suitability of existing metering boundary boxes for the current metering programme is being examined as part of the national survey I have mentioned. The installation of meters is labour-intensive. Minor excavation and reinstatement works will be involved after the installation of the meter. It is estimated that the metering programme will sustain up to 1,600 jobs over two to three years. This will provide much needed employment in the construction sector. Other skills such as customer care experience will also be required. Irish Water will establish a new call centre to deal with customer inquiries. This will employ up to 375 people from 2014. At least 25% of the estimated 1,600 jobs created directly by Irish Water's domestic water metering programme will be given to people from small local businesses, the unemployment register and school leavers, graduates and apprentices.

Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State's answer does not really include the commitment I am looking for on behalf of those with existing water meters. They should be able to inform Bord Gáis Energy or Uisce Éireann that they have a water meter and ask the company to come and read it. That would be better than the water board contacting them to say they have made the board's job of installing a water meter a little easier. It would be much fairer if the water board had to pay for one type of meter to be replaced with another. It is not the fault of consumers who planned ahead and installed water meters that we are now trying to make life easier for meter readers by using a system of reading meters that is not compatible with meters in situ.

In all fairness, Irish Water, or Uisce Éireann, should pay for the installation of the water meter if it is already in existence. This would make it much easier for Irish Water itself to read it.

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Although I am far from expert in this area, the response I have given would seem to indicate that the vast majority of houses have boundary boxes installed as distinct from water meters, although the Deputy may know otherwise. In that instance, the issue of compatibility does not arise. However, where there are already meters installed, I assume in order to standardise the reading of meters and to do so in the most efficient and effective way, there will need to be a replacement of those meters. While I am not aware of the number of meters to be replaced, if the Deputy was to contact the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government or Bord Gáis itself, they might be able to enlighten him further as to exactly what process will be in place for those meters to be changed.