Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The primary objective of my Department’s National Water Conservation Programme was to reduce water loss and leakage in the distribution networks to an economic level and to address high levels of unaccounted for water. My Department’s Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2013 (WSIP)placed a high priority on water conservation. Nationally, some €290 million has been spent on water conservation projects since 2003. Details in respect of expenditure on water conservation since 2003 nationally and in the Dublin area are set out in the following table. Expenditure on water conservation prior to 2003 was not separately recorded.

Year	Total expenditure on water conservation € million	Expenditure on water conservation in the Dublin area € million
2003	11.3	5.4
2004	11.8	2.2
2005	11.8	0.7
2006	16.8	2.1
2007	20.8	2.5
2008	30.7	8.9
2009	27.2	5
2010	37.7	15.9
2011	39.9	14.5
2012	39.3	11.1
2013	43.5	10.4

Statistics relating to Unaccounted for Water in each local authority are recorded each year in the annual Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) Service Indicators reports. Service indicator reports from 2004 to 2012 are available on the LGMA website at .

Irish Water has an overall remit to promote water conservation in relation to public water services and I understand that a comprehensive water conservation programme will be undertaken by the company and will cover the full spectrum of measures including customer awareness and education campaigns about water conservation.