Guides
A guide to water services in Ireland, the new Excess Use Charge from Uisce Éireann (Irish Water) and how to save on water bills.
What are water charges in Ireland?
Uisce Éireann (previously known as Irish Water) supplies water connection, supply, and wastewater services in Ireland.
At the moment, domestic customers don’t have to pay charges for Water Supply and Wastewater services if they don’t exceed their Annual Allowance.
However, Uisce Éireann plans to bring in household charges for excess water use, as part of the Irish Water Charges Plan.
Though an official date hasn’t been set for the Excess Use Charge yet, it the plan says householders won’t start getting billed until October 2024 at the earliest.
It has been delayed in the past though, and could be delayed again.
What is the Excess Use Charge?
It’s a charge for households that use an excessive amount of water and is being introduced to try and reduce water waste.
Legislation has been put in place which allows Uisce Éireann to apply Excess Use Charges when a household exceeds the Annual Allowance. Things to note:
- The threshold is set at more than 1.7 the average household amount
- You’ll only have to pay the charge if your household uses more than 213,000 litres (213m³) of water per year
- Households with more than four people will have a greater allowance
- The maximum charge is capped at €500 for excess use
What is the Uisce Éireann Charges Plan?
The Charges Plan outlines how Uisce Éireann charges its customers.
It has been approved by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) and details domestic water supply and wastewater charging arrangements from 1st January 2020 to 31st December 2024.
It was last updated in October 2022 and may be updated or amended from time to time.
How much is the Excess Use Charge?
Uisce Éireann proposes to apply a flat rate excess use charge of €1.85 per m³ (1,000 litres) for Water Supply, and the same will apply for Waste Water charges.
The Volumetric combined charge will be €3.70 per m³ (1,000 litres). The maximum annual Excess Use Charges are set out below:
| Service | Maximum Charge per year | |
|---|---|---|
| Water Supply | €250 | |
| Wastewater service | €250 | |
| Combined service | €500 |
This means that no household will ever be charged more than €500 for excess use, and in reality, any charges will be far lower than the maximum charge.
What if you live in a large household?
| Household size | Annual Allowance | Excess Use charge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 4 people | 213,000 litres | Over 213 m³ | |
| 5 people | 238,000 litres | Over 238 m³ | |
| 6 people | 263,000 litres | Over 263 m³ | |
| More than 6 people | Allow 25,000 litres for every extra person per household |
Households of more than four will have to apply for additional allowance amounts. The process for applying will be included in a future version of the Water Charges Plan
When will customers start getting Excess Use bills?
The first bills for excess water usage probably won’t be issued before the latter end of 2024. This is because Uisce Éireann has to follow a process that informs and warns the customer before applying charges.
By law Uisce Éireann will have to:
- Give Notice to any domestic customer that exceeds the water use threshold over 12 months to give them time to reduce their usage or repair leaks before charges are sought.
- Inform householders that Excess Use Charges will be applied if the Annual Allowance continues to be exceeded over the six months beginning on the day of the giving of the Notice.
- Bill for an Excess Use Charge if the customer continues to exceed use during the six months and during any period after the six-month period.
What if you don’t have a water meter?
Uisce Éireann will contact unmetered customers if they identify excess use and seek to install a meter. This will enable them to monitor water use and fairly charge for excess use.
Excess Use in unmetered dwellings will be charged the maximum annual metered Excess Use Charge (see table).
If the installation of a meter is not viable, Irish Water will seek to connect a flow monitoring device.
Uisce Éireann connection charges
If you are building your own home, you must apply to Uisce Éireann to connect your water and wastewater.
It costs €2,272 for a water connection and €3,929 for a wastewater connection.
Find more information on connection charges and apply for a water connection.
5 tips to use less water
Saving water could help you save money and avoid the Excess Use Charge, and it’s also good for the environment. Here are some of the best ways to cut your usage:
- Check for leaks: You might not even know you’re using a lot of water if you have a leak. Here’s how to check for leaks and find out whether you could get them repaired for free.
- Ditch your bath: Replace your bath with a shower because running a bath uses much more water. If you already shower, cut your shower time by a couple of minutes to save even more water.
- Wait till your washing machine & dishwasher are full: This will cut how many cycles you do and save electricity too. Also, try to buy appliances that use less water per cycle when it’s time to get a new machine.
- Turn off your taps when brushing your teeth: It’s estimated that we use six litres a minute from leaving taps running while brushing our teeth.
- Use rainwater to water your garden: Plants prefer rainwater, and a water butt could collect up to 5,000 litres a year for free.
You can find more tips for saving water on the Irish Water website.
Water bill FAQs
I’m still waiting for my water charges refund, what should I do?
Cheques should have already been sent out to households that are due a refund. If you’re still waiting for yours you’ll need to contact Uisce Éireann.
What is a boil water notice?
It’s a formal notice from Uisce Éireann to boil and cool your tap water before drinking it to make it safe. If a notice is issued in your area, you’ll need to boil and cool your water before using it to drink, wash food, make ice and brush your teeth. You can find out more about boil water notices on Water.ie.
What is the Water Conservation Grant?
It was a grant to help pay for water saving improvements to your home, for example, fixing water leaks or installing a conservation system. Applications closed in 2015, and the grant was suspended in 2016.
What should I do if I've lost water pressure?
You can check if there are any issues with the water supply on the Uisce Éireann website. If there are no issues in your area follow the steps listed on Water.ie.
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Martin Lane
Last updated on 29/11/2023
