Public Water Forum's Response to Irish Water's Investment Plan for 2017-2021

This is the full text of the Public Water Forum's response to Irish Water's Investment plan 2017 to 2021 which was published on March 9, 2016.  After reading the report, it seems ironical that such interesting ideas have been ignored especially since this forum was set up by the Government so that the citizens voice is heard.  Why has the report not been more widely disseminated.  Why has the Government and Irish Water not taken any heed of it?  Perhaps it is not what they wanted to hear.

Full text Forums response to Irish Water's 2017-2021 Investment Plan

Public Water Forum Chairperson's Message

Dr Tom Collins, chairman Public Water Forum

The Public Water Forum, established under the Water Services Act (2014), aims to provide a site and a process whereby different approaches and positions concerning the management and development of the water resource in Ireland can be explored and interrogated. A broadly representative body, consisting both of domestic and commercial consumers, the Forum aims to increase public awareness and vigilance concerning such a scarce, necessary and vulnerable resource; to explore innovative approaches to meeting the diverse and sometimes competing demands of water conservation and supply; to draw on international experience in dealing with some of the challenges that Ireland must now address and to ensure that the citizen voice is heard both in Irish Water and the Commission for Energy Regulation.

Original article:Public Water Forum 

‘Irish Water is here to stay,’ Minister of State tells Dáil

Responding to a question about Irish Water issuing bills to commercial customers in two local authority areas, Minister of State Damien English said the legislation to suspend charges was for domestic water charges only and that ‘it is very clear that Irish Water is here to say’. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times.

SF TD says move to transfer commercial water charges to utility is ‘underhanded’

The Government has been accused of being “underhanded” in moving the payment of commercial water charges from local authorities to Irish Water.

Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said that in a pilot project, billing for commercial, non-domestic water charges in counties Monaghan and Meath was being moved from the two local authorities to Irish Water.

The Cavan-Monaghan TD said “it beggars belief” that a decision had been made to transfer such responsibility to Irish Water while the newly appointed water charges commission was starting work on “addressing the future of domestic water charges and the future of Irish Water itself”.

He claimed it was an “inappropriate and underhanded move at this time, especially in light of the Government’s decision to suspend the accruing charges for domestic water provision”.

Minister of State Damien English, whose Meath West constituency is also covered by the billing move, said the legislation to suspend charges was for domestic water charges only.

“It is very clear that Irish Water is here to say,” he said. “There is no question over how public water and wastewater services are to be delivered into the future.”

Remain

He stressed the approach had been accepted that “Irish Water will remain our national water utility”.

Mr Ó Caoláin said “Fianna Fáil has clearly rolled back on its position and the Minister is clearly indicating that the future of the Irish Water entity is guaranteed into perpetuity”.

Mr English said the Bill to suspend domestic water charges “does not provide for any changes to the current water charging regime for non-domestic customers”.

He said the move to Irish Water would improve the situation because there was a variance across the State in how non-domestic customers are billed, “both in tariff type and level of tariff”.

Mr English said “there are 44 tariff structures, with over 500 tariff points in place for non-domestic water and wastewater services”.

He added that “the harmonisation of non-domestic tariffs should lead to greater certainty and simplicity for businesses and other non-domestic customers about the structure and level of charges”.

Original article: Marie O'Halloran, Irish Times, July 14, 2016

Calls for water infrastructure spend

Simon Coveney, Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

Housing Minister Simon Coveney is being urged to ensure €148m in unspent funds for water meter installations instead goes towards fixing urban pipes and drainage systems.

A decision by Irish Water not to install up to 180,000 water meters at present should allow the company reallocate funds into capital infrastructure projects, Opposition TDs argue.

Minister Coveney says the saved money will go on non-domestic water meter upgrades and towards water works on lands that can be used to help address the housing shortage.

But Sinn Féin want the money pumped directly into fixing pipes and drains in order to help Ireland avoid being slapped with large fines for failing to implement an EU urban waste water directive.

Minister Coveney, in a parliamentary answer to Sinn Féin’s Eoin Ó Broin, confirmed the underspend in the domestic water metering programme.

Domestic metering contracts, agreed in 2013, were to install 1,050,000 devices over three years, he said.

“Ministerial consent was given to a budget of €614m including Vat for this purpose,” said the minister.

But the installation has stopped now, with Sinn Féin sources suggesting this is partially due to opposition to meters in housing estates and some urban areas.

In his parliamentary response, Minister Coveney added: “I understand from Irish Water that the expected capital expenditure by August 2016 will amount to €465m, which will deliver circa 870,000-880,000 meter installations.

“As such, savings of about €148m will accrue on the capital metering programme.

“Up to 180,000 meters included in the original programme will not be metered at this stage, for a combination of health and safety reasons, service complexity or other technical reasons.”

Deputy O’Broin says that the water meter funds could be better spent elsewhere.

“There is an under-spend of up to €148 million which has the potential to be reallocated.

“There is a sense of urgency in re-allocating these monies.

“We have heard off the record that Irish Water’s parent company Ervia is currently negotiating a six-month extension to the original water metering contract.

“It is alleged that the board of Ervia is soon to ratify this extension.

“I will be writing to both Minister Coveney and Ervia in an attempt to clarify this claim. It is outrageous that money is continuing to be spent on domestic water metering.

“Given that Ireland is currently undergoing infringement proceedings for a failure to implement the Urban Waste Water Treatment directive and that water infrastructure is crumbling, this funding would be better spent in addressing these issues as opposed to continuing with this controversial programme.”

Original article: Juno McEnroe, Irish Examiner July 16, 2016