Water charges could be €600 per house, says Killarney mayor

Water charges under the new household metering system by Irish Water could be higher than expected, it has been claimed.

Killarney mayor Paddy Courtney said that while initial annual charges were estimated to be in the region of €300 per house, they could be up to €600 when Vat is factored in.

“I’ve done some research regarding what has been happening in other EU countries and my figures are based on the German experience,” he said.

“People are asking how much the charges will be, but nobody is telling us anything. I think there should be some clarification on the matter.”

Mr Courtney said he was basing his figures on an average household of four people, each using up to 25 cubic metres at a charge of €2.50 per cubic metre, and paying for water coming in and going out of the house.

“Also, we have not been told what the charges will be if meters give trouble and the fact that a meter has to be changed every five to six years, as it may not be worth calibrating or repairing.

“A lot of people are concerned about the water charges on top of the increasing number of other charges they have to pay.”

Killarney Town Council is seeking a full report on what charges and hidden extras will apply to the metering system.

Irish Water spokesman Conor Keane said it was as yet too early to speculate on what charges would be and, in any event, the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), not Irish Water, would be setting the charges.

“Basically, nobody can say at this stage what the charges will be,” he said.

A CER spokesman confirmed that the commission was due to be given the role of setting water charges, later this year.

The charges are not due to come into effect until 2014 and the spokesman said there would be a public consultation process before they are set.

He also said he could not give an estimate as to what the charges would be.