Submission to the Joint Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services in Ireland

Whilst there is much that is welcome in the report, it includes one obvious and serious contradiction. It states that Excessive or wasteful use of water should be paid for directly by the user at tariffs determined by CER. It then goes on to make no real proposal on how to
decide when there is excess use. Why would it make sense to use tax-payers money to fill a private swimming pool?
As you will see below, the Environmental Pillar policy is that the Polluter Pays Principle should apply to all, with financial transfers back to those that are unable to pay. However the proposal to give consumers a set allowance per person paid for out of taxation could be
acceptable as an alternative but only if all users were metered. How would you legally charge someone for use of water unless you can prove that they used it?
There seems at present to be very little said about the considerable impacts on climate change caused by the substantial energy use at all stages of water production and wastewater treatment.
The many questions in the call for submissions underlines the very poor level of knowledge regarding usage in Ireland. This huge knowledge gap can only be filled by a concerted effort over a considerable period of time.
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