As expected the latest draft report by the committee looking at the future of water funding has recommended that the wilful wastage of water should be determined as 1.7 times average consumption levels.
It recommends an approach based on incentives and penalties/levies to demonstrate Ireland is compliant with all European Union water directives.
It recommends that the Water Services Act 2007 be amended to provide for this.
It states that appropriate allowances should be made for the social, environmental and economic effects of the recovery of costs for water services.
The draft report recommends that normal usage should be funded through taxation and such funding must be clearly identifiable within existing taxation.
The draft report recommends that there be an identifiable link between revenue provided to the water utility by the Exchequer and the services that such revenue effectively pays for.
