Water charges could raise €1bn for Govt

It is hoped the roll-out will begin next year to meet the full cost of providing treated clean drinking water to every home.

The minister said: “I would hope that it raises that amount of money.”

Some €300m has already been earmarked to fix the country’s creaking water supplies over the next three years.

Mr Gormley said the record repair bill will see burst pipes and old mains systems replaced as some regions are losing about half of water supplies through leaks.

“This is completely unacceptable and must be urgently addressed,” he said.

Mr Gormley also hit out at the decision to scrap water charges in 1997.

“I believe that we have missed a huge opportunity over the years because the decision of previous governments to get rid of water charge’s was nonsensical and pretty spineless,” he said.

The minister said water metering was essential to create a fair system which would bring in significant savings.

Figures from the Department of the Environment quoted a report for the UK government which found average savings of 16% per household after meters were installation.

Parts of Dublin and Clare are still without normal supplies after the big freeze damaged ageing water pipes.

“We are playing a huge game of catch-up with our water infrastructure, following decades of under-investment,” Mr Gormley said.

It is understood the €300m repair fund is already in the Department of Environment budget but has been reallocated from other areas to ease pressure on the water supply network.

“The difficulties experienced by thousands of householders across the country show clearly that there are still huge issues with our water infrastructure and consumption of water that need to be addressed,” the minister said.

“Our approach to drinking water in Ireland has been unsustainable, and we must change that approach, from the investment and management of our network to how we as households value the resource that comes out of our tap.”