Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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586. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding group water schemes that have their own meters which were supplied by Mayo County Council; if Irish Water is taking over when billing starts; and what happens to the meters that were supplied. [40384/14]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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587. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding group water schemes that have their own metering and own source of water. [40385/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 586 and 587 together.

The Water Services (No.2) Act 2013 provides Irish Water with the power to charge for water services. The Act also provides that the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) will be responsible for the economic regulation of Irish Water and the charges to be levied by Irish Water are subject to the approval of the CER. Water charges commenced on 1 October 2014 and the first bills will be issued by Irish Water to households from January 2015.

Group Water Schemes that are supplied by way of a connection to the public water supply network are now customers of Irish Water for the bulk supply of such water, having previously been customers of the relevant local authority.

It is important to emphasise that the households on group schemes are customers of the scheme and not of Irish Water.

Group Water Schemes that have their own water sources will not be customers of Irish Water and will continue to operate as before.