Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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161. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the total water consumption by local authority area on 1 October 2013 and on 1 October 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43452/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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My Department does not compile statistical data relating to water consumption. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water is responsible for public water services. The Act also provides that responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commiss ion for Energy Regulation (CER).

In preparing its Water Charges Plan for submission to the CER Irish Water carried out a project to understand water consumption patterns in Ireland, and the Water Consumption Research Project (WCRP) is available on the CER website. The figures in the WCRP, based on actual metered data and follow-on surveys with over 3 ,000 houses, confirms that consumption for a household is 66,000 litres per year for the first occupant and an average 21,000 litres increase for each additional occupant. Data on consumption patterns will be provided by Irish Water to the CER on a regular basis.

Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email to oireachtasmembers@water.ieor by telephone on 1890 578 5 78.