Irish Water meter lids don’t meet DoE guides
Environment circular stated meter-lids ‘are unsuitable for footpaths’
THE type of water-meter box being used by Irish Water on footpaths nationwide does not even meet the Department of the Environment’s own standards, we can reveal.
In 2009, the department wrote to all local authorities warning of potential damage from cars to the cheaper grade of meterbox lid Irish Water is now installing – and the risk of personal injury.
TOWN and county councils were warned not to install the cheaper grade of water-meter boxes being used by Irish Water on footpaths five years ago, the Irish Mail on Sunday can reveal.
In light of the revelation, Fianna Fáil environment spokesman Barry Cowen has called Irish Water’s decision to install ‘grade C’ boxes ‘baffling, crazy and ridiculous’.
He demanded it halt installations until the matter is examined.
As early as 2009, the Department of the Environment warned of safety concerns over the plastic meter-box lids the company is using.
Last week, the MoS revealed that thousands of the boxes might have to be replaced within years because they are not strong enough for cars to drive over, according to experts and international safety
‘It’s baffling, crazy and ridiculous’
standards. Now the MoS can reveal that in 2009, the department wrote to all local authorities warning of potential damage to the lids from occasional vehicle traffic and that this presented a risk of personal injury.
The 2009 letter was sent from the department’s building standards section to all city and county managers, building control officers and planning authorities. It warned that footpaths were subject to ‘occasional traffic’ and that grade C boxes could pose a safety risk.
The letter is headlined in bold, underlined text: ‘Correct specification for covers/frames to services (eg, manholes, surface boxes, water meters, hydrants, etc).’
It continues: ‘Incorrect use in areas accessible to vehicular traffic is considered a safety risk, which may result in personal injury or damage to vehicles.’
It says local authorities should ‘take whatever steps are necessary’ to ensure that ‘planning permissions clearly reference the Class B standard for covers/frames to services in footpaths’ and ‘that the correct standard is enforced’.
Last week, Irish Water acknowledged it was installing grade C water meter boxes in driveways but insisted they were fit for purpose.
However, the 2009 departmental directive went further even than British quality standards by saying all meters installed on pavements, regardless of potential traffic, should be grade B.
Contacted this week, the department said: ‘Local authorities are no longer directly responsible for water services provision following the establishment of Irish Water.
A spokesman for Irish Water said: ‘Irish Water is installing meter boxes with grade C lids in front of residential driveways. These are areas where domestic vehicles will pass at low speed.’
He said the company was satisfied that its approach was the safest and most cost-effective.
‘In the event that broken lids are reported to us, we will replace them as quickly as possible,’ he said, add-
‘We’ll replace broken lids if they’re reported’
ing: ‘We have no reports to date of broken lids among the 200,000 meters installed since July 2013.’
However, a source involved with one of Irish Water’s contractors said he had already experienced problems with broken lids.
Irish Water has confirmed that it will be liable for any accidents or injuries suffered as a result of broken lids two years after installation. The contractors are liable for the first two years.
Talis UK, which won the tender to manufacture meter boxes for Irish Water, did not respond to repeated queries from the MoS over the past two weeks about whether its boxes were suitable for installation in driveways.
Irish Water also confirmed that it had installed a small number of grade B boxes. It is believed they are being used on a trial basis.
But Mr Cowen called for Irish Water to stop installing meters following the revelations.
‘The installation of these boxes should stop forthwith and it should be investigated,’ he said.
‘I’ve spoken to someone in Irish Water and it seems they are well aware that about 20% of all boxes fitted don’t meet the department’s guidelines.
‘It’s the usual story, the consultant gets top dollar and the consumer gets a kick in the a***.’
In a separate development, it was reported yesterday that in response to pressure from Labour, Fine Gael has agreed to drop the idea of a standing charge for water. It had been suggested that there would be a standing charge of €50.
There were concerns that the elimination of this could result in higher bills for most users.