Written answers

Tuesday, 24 March 2015

Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

Water Quality

Photo of Patrick O'DonovanPatrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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878. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to provide an allowance to householders in areas with hard water to assist with the additional costs associated with the flushing of water softeners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11388/15]

Photo of Alan KellyAlan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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Under the European Union (Drinking Water) Regulations 2014, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas library, suppliers of drinking water are required to ensure that the water supplied is wholesome and clean. Water which is wholesome and clean is defined as water which is free from any micro-organisms and parasites and from any substances which, in numbers or concentrations, constitute a potential danger to human health and which meets the quality standards specified in the Schedule to the Regulations. Hard water is not included as a parameter in the quality standard tables included in the Schedule to the Regulations as neither it, or associated substances such as lime, calcium and magnesium, pose a threat to human health.

The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water can collect charges from each customer in receipt of water services provided by it. The Act also provides that responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) and the CER has been given statutory responsibility for protecting the interests of customers. The Water Charges Policy Direction issued to the CER in July 2014 referred to a number of matters relating to domestic water charges, including where the quality of water services provided by Irish Water to its customers is impaired or where services are reduced or restricted. Where customers are subject to a drinking water restriction notice, affected customers will receive a 100% discount to the water supply portion of their bill for the duration of the restriction. However, as hard water does not require the restriction of a supply, discounts would not apply in such cases. There are no plans to introduce any scheme of financial support in respect of water-softening technologies.

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