Irish Water stalls introduction of charge on households who waste water

Irish Water has confirmed a delay in proposals to begin charging households for wasting water. This move, a key element of the state’s approach to domestic water charging, won’t now start until 2022 at the earliest.

The initiative has been mired in difficulties because of questions over Irish Water's ability to impose charges when not all homes are metered and when tens of thousands of leaks that are responsible for excess use have yet to be repaired.

It is also unclear how the publicly company would enforce charges when it cannot cut or reduce supplies to non-payers.

Irish Water said exact details of how the charges would be applied were still being finalised. "The water charges plan published by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities confirms that the earliest a bill for excess use will be issued is January 2022," it said.

"Initial dates proposed were provisional as we are still working with the CRU and government to finalise the approach."