Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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32. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the measures that are being taken to address increased water connection costs for those building new homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61124/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) is the body responsible for setting water connection charges as set out in Part V of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013, in particular it sets out the CRU's responsibility for the determination of the charges, including connection charges, and charging arrangements that apply to customers of Irish Water.

Prior to the establishment of Irish Water the connection charging arrangements in Ireland were varied, complex and the charges differed greatly across the country. There were 57 different connection charging regimes with over 900 different connection charges, as each Local Authority had its own method for calculating connection charges, with different cost structures, customer classifications and bespoke exemptions.

To address this, Irish Water proposed an enduring connection charging policy to generate a more harmonised and straightforward means of charging customers for connections to the public water and wastewater networks. Irish Water’s new harmonised policy ensures that customers receive a consistent level of connection service regardless of where in the country that customer connects to the water and / or wastewater network. A more standardised approach in terms of connection charges, and the levels of services received for such charges, will benefit customers in terms of transparency, accessibility, simplicity and equity.

In 2018 the CRU carried out a public consultation on Irish Water’s proposed connection charging policy (CRU/18/001) for customers seeking a connection to the public water and / or wastewater network. 

Following this public consultation process the CRU approved The Irish Water Connection Charging Policy, which came into effect on 01 April 2019 and provides a standard set of charges for connections to Irish Water’s water and wastewater networks. It also provides a single, clear, transparent and fair connection charging framework. The charges are calculated in a cost-reflective manner, based on connection type.

In addition, Irish Water launched a Self-Lay Accreditation Scheme in June 2022 whereby developers can deliver water and wastewater infrastructure in the public roads to service new housing developments. The scheme facilitates the delivery of water service infrastructure to support housing delivery. It does this by recognising best practice standards for the Self-Lay in the public road of water services infrastructure by Developers and Contractors.

The Scheme will assist Developers and Contractors in their delivery of housing while protecting water and wastewater infrastructure to ensure a safe and reliable water services is provided to customers into the future.

The charging arrangements for Irish Water customers is a matter in the first instance for Irish Water. Any issues, which cannot be resolved by Irish Water to the satisfaction of the customer can be referred under the formal complaints process to the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) whose decision on the matter is binding on Irish Water.  

Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives.  The team can be contacted via email tooireachtasmembers@water.ieor by telephone on a dedicated number, 0818 578 578.