Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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Question 164: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of households here who have had water meters installed in the past 10 years; and if these meters will be compatible with his proposals to charge for water. [31336/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Since 2001, local authorities have been responsible for the installation of water meters on supplies to non-domestic customers. Where properties had mixed commercial and domestic use, meters were installed and the customers were given an allowance for the domestic element of the water usage. As the non-domestic metering programme was devolved to the local authorities my Department does not have information on the number of mixed commercial and domestic properties which have been metered.

The Rural Water Programme, which is also devolved to the local authorities, funds, inter alia, the up-grading of group water supplies. In recent years, where some group supplies were being upgraded, meters were installed on all connections including households. However, my Department does not have information on the number of households which have been metered in such cases.

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. Irish Water, a new State-owned water company to be established as an independent subsidiary within the Bord Gáis Eireann Group, will be responsible for the metering programme.