Status Quo about Water Charges in Kildare

ampleforth

What is the status quo on water supply and water charges in Co. Kildare and in Kildare Town in particular?

I moved into a new home and noticed very new looking round looking hand-sized installations outside every home of the street (must have been done in the past month) which indicates that water is now metered and the infrastructure in place. Am I wrong? While I was in Dublin I heard about the ongoing debate and I have seen the demonstrations. I saw the signs in the doors against water charges in Cork. I have seen the videos of people fighting it on Youtube. Wondering now...

What do you have to do as a new arrival in the new home? Is protesting against water charges still an option?

Looking for some insight into the topic from Kildare people.

Seth Brundle

Water charges were never scrapped completely!

L1011

Water charges are decided nationally not locally

New connections are metered, and charges for excessive use are meant to resume soon. That is what the status has been since the 2016 election

GavMan

Its also really the only way to confidently determine if there is a burst pipe on a particular property without digging up the gardens. So they're quite useful really in that regard.

ampleforth

So, when moving in, do I need to call the and have the meter read. What is the process when you bought a property and don't want to pay the previous owners bill (if this works like electricity) ?

Seth Brundle

Open the lid on the footpath and read the numbers then call Irish Water!
https://www.water.ie/support/questions-and-answers/can-i-read-an-irish-water-meter/

You may need an account set up for yourself.
https://www.water.ie/for-home/customer-registration/

ampleforth

Thanks for the info @Seth Brundle.

I heard something about a refund from the government to ease the bill. Does that still exist and how does it work?

Best, A

L1011

No.

There's no bill at all currently and there will only be a bill for excessive use in the near future. There is no grant anymore

Seth Brundle

ampleforth wrote: »

I heard something about a refund from the government to ease the bill. Does that still exist and how does it work?

The €100 grant is long gone (thankfully). It was a failed ploy to get people to accept water charges.
The refund was the government trying to buy votes by refunding any water charges paid.

The most recent news is here. https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/high-tech-detection-system-to-plug-80m-litres-of-leaks-896216.html