Family of five adults face €450 water bill

Families with young adults at home will be "crucified" under the new water pricing regime, opposition parties have warned.

As confusion continued to surround how much bills will be, Environment Minister Phil Hogan admitted a family of five adults could pay €450 a year — almost double the €240 figure the Government claims an “average” household would fork out.

Fianna Fáil finance spokesman Michael McGrath said the Government “average” was deliberately misleading and families with two or three children over 18 could end up with “savage” bills of €700 a year.