MEP’s twin plan to cut farm and school water rates

THE European Parliament’s petitions committee recently heard that 43% of Irish water supply is lost in leaky pipes from old infrastructure and that farmers are expected to pay for this, thereby subsidising domestic users who are exempt from charges and industrial users who negotiate reduced water rates.

County councils maintain that this charging of farmers is necessary under the EU water framework directive (WFD).

However, the WFD does not require charging (termed “cost recovery”) until 2010.