Water charges to affect just 8% of households in new agreement

It looks like practically no one is going to have to pay for water.

The Oireachtas Committee on funding has decided that only those who waste their allowance will be charged - and wastage has been defined at 1.7 times more than the average use, which is 70% over the average usage.

A report agreed by the Committee this afternoon will go before the Government next week.

According to RTE News just 8% of households will be affected and there will be medical exemptions.

This accounts for just 70-71,000 households.

The water meters will be used to assess usage.