More than half wasting water

MORE than half of Irish households admit to wasting water and less than one in five actively conserve it, new research has shown.

A survey conducted by Irish Water found 53% of households waste water, even though 78% know it is important to conserve it.

Excessive water use will start costing households from as early as October, with the introduction of excess water charges for those using 1.7 times more than the average of 125,000 litres a year for a four-person home.

The first bills will not be issued until October next year but will cover a 12-month period. Households will be charged €3.70 per 1,000 litres, so using 50,000 litres over the threshold would cost €185.

Irish Water’s John O’Donoghue announced the launch today of its new Conservation Calculator, which is designed to help assess water usage habits and is available at water.ie/calculator.

Mr O’Donoghue said: ‘Our new calculator offers practical advice on conserving water, to ensure we have a sustainable water supply for everyone in years to come.’