Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

Section 72 provides for the basic authority to provide water services by meter. It enables a water services provider to supply water by meter and measure the volume or rate of discharge of water via a meter. Amendments Nos. 152 and 153 will clarify beyond doubt the intent of paragraphs (c) and (d) in subsection (1). These paragraphs enable a water services provider to require a customer to take services via a meter. It is possible that the paragraphs could be interpreted in such a manner that the obligation of the user to take water services via a meter could be satisfied if there is a meter along the route of the distribution network, for example, at the treatment plant. Such a construction would undermine the intent of the provision. To prevent doubt, these amendments enable the water services provider to require that services be taken through a specified meter, for example, on the premises of the user.