- Charges will be capped at the rate of €160 per year for single occupant households and €260 per year for all other households. These charges will apply until the end of 2018.
- There will be a ‘Water Conservation Grant’ of €100 per year to each household.
- This will mean that the charges for water will effectively be €60 per year for single occupant households and €160 for all other households.
- These charges will work out at €1.15 per week for single resident households and €3 per week for all other households.
- It will be possible, through conservation, for residents to reduce the amount of their water bill from these capped charges.
- Water charges will be reduced to €3.70 per 1000 litre.
- Households with a water only service or a sewerage only service will pay half of the new rates.
- The first bills from Irish Water will begin to issue from the first week of April 2015.
- There will be a 100% discount on drinking water supply costs for houses in which the water is not fit for human consumption.
- PPS numbers will no longer be required to register with Irish Water.
- Irish Water will immediately delete all PPS data which they have already received.
- If a household fails to register with Irish Water, they will receive a default bill for the capped charge but they will not qualify to get the €100 ‘Water Conservation Grant’.
- The free allowance for children will apply to all children in a household under the age of 18, not just those for whom child benefit is received.
- The Government will legislate to remove the power to cut off or reduce the supply of water to premises where water charges remain unpaid.
- Those who want to pay their bill but cannot afford to do so will be able to avail of easy-pay options, installment plans and they will be able to enter into pay agreements as is currently possible with other utilities.
- There will be no performance related pay in Irish Water for 2013 and 2014. A unitary board will be put in place which will combine Irish Water with its parent company, Ervia. Their number 1 priority will be a pay model review.
- Water services will remain in the public ownership and if any future Government wishes to change this will have to hold a public plebiscite.