Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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188. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the approximate 49% of current leakage rate in water services, if he will provide an estimate of the present benefit value of a 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% reduction in this rate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13558/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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It is estimated that the first 10% reduction in current levels of leakage would result in a present value benefit of the order of €300 million.  It is estimated that a corresponding pro rata present value benefit would arise as a result of a 5% reduction in current leakage levels.  While an estimate of the present value benefit arising in respect of 15% and 20% leakage reduction points is not available, it would be expected that, for leakage reduction beyond 10%, the incremental present value benefit arising from each 5% leakage reduction would reduce until the point is reached where further leakage reduction is considered uneconomic, ie it would cost more to address the leakage than to produce water from another source.  That point is estimated by Irish Water to be in the region of 18-22% leakage.