Former senator and trade union leader Joe O'Toole will chair the independent commission being set up to examine the funding model for water.
The recommendations of the commission will be referred to an Oireachtas committee before the Dáil votes on the matter.
The other members of the commission are due to be announced later today.
Mr O'Toole has said no one can argue with the fact that water services need investment.
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Sean O'Rourke, he said the basics need to be right and that no one is charged for water but for the cost of the delivery and treatment of water.
He said it was undeniable that people have paid for water through taxes since 1977 but said it now needs further funding.
It was his responsibility, he said, to put together a logical sequence to explain where things are, what has to be done, how it will be done, how much it will cost and how it will be paid for.
The question of funding is the big problem, as there are not many options, he said.
He said people are already paying for these services but the question is how much should they pay.
"There is one certainty here. Irish people need water. Irish people will have to pay for water.
"Whether it's paid for by the Government through general taxation or whether it's paid for as part of some other domestic or household charge or a mix of all those - or whether we find other income streams - there are a variety of approaches to look at.
"We will tease them all out one by one by one," he said.
There will be at least one environmental lawyer with international experience and the commission will be guided by expert advice, he added.
Mr O'Toole said he believed the commission would be able to complete its work by Christmas.
Water metering to continue
Meanwhile, Minister Simon Coveney has told the Dáil that the rolling out of water meters will continue.
He was responding to parliamentary questions this afternoon.
AAA-PBP TD Paul Murphy said there were big communities opposed to water meters who will simply not accept this.
He said water meters were not about conservation and only 3% of water being lost was saved this way.
Mr Coveney said 840,000 meters had been installed and many people did not have a problem with this.
"Many people have been using meters to conserve water. We know that because 40% of people are paying water charges at below the cap."
He said the roll out was "pretty close to being concluded".
