Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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Question 204: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider redirecting funding away from installing water meters and towards upgrading the water pipe system in this State. [22570/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Government considers that charging based on usage is the fairest way to charge for water and it has decided that water meters should be installed in households connected to public water supplies. International evidence has shown that where meters have been installed significant reductions have been achieved in the level of consumption, and this is also borne out by the water savings achieved with metering in the group water sector. Mains rehabilitation does not address customer side leakage and does not impact on consumer behaviour. Mains rehabilitation needs to be sustained as part of long-term strategy complementary to metering rather than instead of it. Progress in relation to water conservation and water mains rehabilitation is set out in reply to Question No. 106 of 2 May 2012.