Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 60: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if her attention has been drawn to the fact that farmers have faced increasing water charges from local authorities as a result of new pricing arrangements and of the financial hardship that this is causing; if she has any power to intervene on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7090/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Local authorities are required to recover from non-domestic consumers all costs incurred in the provision of water services to those consumers. The application of the polluter pays principle, as required by the EU Water Framework Directive, entails the metering of non-domestic consumers so that a volumetric charge can be applied, with the cost of meter installation being borne by the metered consumer.

This policy has been in place since 1998 but as the meter installation programme has progressed, local authorities have been moving from fixed rate bills to volumetric bills whereby the customer is required to pay on the basis of the actual volume of water supplied. Water and waste water charges are required to reflect the actual cost to the local authority of supplying that level of service to the customer concerned, as authorities are not allowed to make a profit on their water services charges.

In response to concerns expressed by farming representatives in relation to the cost of metering, and following a pilot billing project in one local authority area, my Department issued billing guidance to local authorities in December 2006, which included a request that authorities consider the necessity for special discounting arrangements in the case of multiple water meters on fragmented farm holdings. The guidance recommends that the total metering charge in such instances should not exceed 180% of the cost of the first connection irrespective of the number of meters. This represents a very significant concession to farm holders with fragmented holdings. Where a case of personal hardship arises, an approach may be made directly to the local authority seeking a waiver of the water services charge on personal hardship grounds.