Why we are now being charged for water

Simon O’Connor is just another in the long list of commentators who says the Irish people are paying twice over for water ( Letters, October 28).

Most of us are not paying twice for water. Some of those in rural areas provide their own and therefore pay once.

For the rest, much of the infrastructure is leaking since, after years of under-funding, it has not been adequately maintained since Victorian times.

At the same time, the EU water framework directive requires member states to ensure water-pricing policies provide adequate incentives to use water resources efficiently and to recover the true costs of water services.

The reason we have water charges is that as a natural resource it needs to be used wisely and not wasted.

In that regard the infrastructure needs more investment to prevent leakage.

In addition, the Troika, who bailed us out with other countries’ taxpayers’ money, insisted on it.

A Leavy

Shielmartin Drive

Sutton

Dublin 13