Joe O'Toole (Independent)

That is even with my own colleagues gone. Mapping is crucial for the future. We must know what work can be done, where the leaks are and the amount of wastage.

I recently spoke to a man who was having a row with the local authority of a Munster city. He maintained that he was being charged too much for water and that he could not possibly be using that amount in his business. The local authority argued back and they were on the point of going to court about the matter when the man had a bright idea. He called in a plumber and turned off the water supply to his business. Within two hours the local authority was inundated with calls from the businesses on the street behind, which were all now without water. They had all been tapping into his supply. I have no doubt this is happening all over the place. People are obtaining water free while others pay for water they are not using.