Roscommon County Council is in the process of delivering a new water metering programme for its non-domestic (business and farming) customers. This programme will ensure that consumers will only pay for the water they use, and is therefore more equitable than the old "flat" annual charge which was levied irrespective of usage.
Over 7,000 metres have been installed throughout the county, with the remaining 500 metres to be installed over the coming weeks. In addition to introducing a fairer charging system, water metering will also help address the ongoing problem of water leakages.
Background
The water metering project is being undertaken as part of the Government's "Water Services Pricing Policy". The new policy will ensure that consumers will have a fair and equitable charging system, in that they will only pay for water to they consume.
The charge will only relate to the non-domestic element of the water supply i.e., business, farming, institutions, and all connections not strictly for domestic use. Local Authorities are prohibited by law from charging for a domestic supply. It is government policy that all non-domestic consumers will be metered and charged for water by the end of 2007.
A Fairer Way To Pay
The old system of charging for water involved a flat rate for each category of connection irrespective of usage. The charge was exactly the same within each category regardless of the amount of water that is actually used. This has now been replaced by a metered charge, based on a meter reading for each connection.
Under the new arrangement water users who have supplies with a domestic element will receive a domestic allowance. For example, this will apply in the case of a farmer whose house and land are on the same connection, or where a shop and living accommodation are in one premises. This allowance is 227m3 per annum (about 50,000 gallons). It is applied on a quarterly basis. Unused allowance does not carry forward to the next quarter and it does not have any monetary value.
Veolia Water (Ireland)
The Water metering programme is being delivered on behalf of Roscommon County Council by Veolia Water (Ireland). Under the terms of the contract, Veolia have responsibility for:
- Pre-installation surveys
- Design/installation of meters
- Maintenance/reading of meters
- Issue bills and collection of revenue
- Information/Support
Bills
The first bills were accompanied by a Booklet entitled "Water Metering - A Fairer Way to Pay" which explains the new charges, how to read your water meter, tips on water conservation, contact details for Veolia Water and what to do if you are acquiring, changing or leaving a non-domestic premises.
Roscommon Water Metering Booklet.pdf (size 731.2 KB)
An explanation of the Bill is available here.
What To Do If You Have High Consumption
Bills with high consumption have been accompanied by a letter requesting the customer to check whether or not they have a water leak on their premises.
If a customer finds that they have a water leak they should do the following:
- Contact Veolia Water at LoCall 1890 836 542 (1890 VEOLIA) or by calling to their offices at Castle View, Castle Street, Roscommon (offices behind the Royal Hotel). Quote your customer number shown at the top of your bill e.g. 3000XXXX.
- Arrange for the leak to be fixed. If you are unable to carry out the repair work yourself, you will need to hire a qualified and competent plumber. Try to make sure that the plumber has carried out this type of work in the past. It may be advisable to use a local member of one of the professional plumbing organisations. Be sure to get an estimate or two of the cost before you begin the repair. The cost of fixing customer leaks, is of course, the customer's responsibility.
- Once the repair has been made, contact Veolia Water again to inform them, again quoting your customer number.
- A customer can then take two further readings and you will receive a revised bill for the period.
Guidance on Dealing with Leaks.pdf (size 122.7 KB)