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

If it is helpful to the Senator, I have seen a local authority training manual in which reference is made to training staff for metering, including district metering. I understand the local authorities have a training centre where all this is done. If it is helpful, I would be happy to observe what is happening in Laois County Council. I have visited Galway and have observed what happens there. Were every seat in this Chamber to represent a house that was on a district meter, the local authority would know there was water leakage somewhere in here but would not know precisely where. Consequently, while the district meter enables it to ascertain the total area as to where the loss might be, to find the individual leak, it would be obliged to test down each row. One often sees the workers concerned at different intersections where they are turning water on and off. Consequently, I do not believe there is any contradiction or issue about district metering being effective and important. While district metering will tell one where the totality of the loss is, it will not identify the actual location either by street or by house. I believe that is the point. It is the same in the case of electricity, if that is helpful.