‘Family size should determine water allowance’

FAMILY size should dictate the amount of water a house is allowed without charge when metering is introduced, a pair of researchers has found.

The findings, from one of three prize-winning Young Scientist projects at Kinsale Community School in Cork, are already winging their way to the desk of Environment Minister Phil Hogan, whose officials met transition-year students Caoimhe Hill and Faye Murphy at last week’s exhibition in Dublin.

“If they had the option of the free allocation being based on the number of people living in the house, household income or the same for all houses, most wanted it based on who lives there,” explained Caoimhe.