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

A major industry could be a very significant user of water and it could have a different tariff from somebody who would not use the same volume. The tariffs have yet to be decided but households which are not metered may be charged on an assessed basis; the volume of water that might be used would be assessed based on the factors such as number of people in a household. In other words, the charge would not be based on the house but rather occupancy and so on. That will be included in the water charges plan to be approved by the Commission for Energy Regulation. In other words, the regulator will make a proposal, which will be debated here, and there will be a response. The assessed charge will represent the best proxy for usage, or the most accurate idea we can get. There will be no random or arbitrary charge so it will be based on criteria. I presume the number of people in the home will be a factor in the charge, as volumes of water differ in houses with fewer people.