Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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Question 339: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if the calculation of the cost to the customer of installing water meters on their property is purely a matter to be decided on by the local authority, or if the Government has issued any guidelines on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36839/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Water services providers are required to recover the cost of providing water services from all non-domestic users of these services in accordance with the Government's water pricing policy, reflecting the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive. This requirement of cost recovery from the non-domestic sector involves the provision of meters, which are necessary to ensure that water charges to users relate to actual consumption and to incentivise all non-domestic users to manage and conserve their use of water.

Cost recovery for the provision of water services means that local authorities must calculate all the costs of providing water to non-domestic users, including meter installation costs, and recover that amount from the non-domestic sector. While detailed guidelines have not yet issued from my Department on the way in which local authorities may secure cost recovery, I envisage that this will be done shortly based on the experience of a pilot billing project in one local authority area.