Burton says water conservation will come through education

Water conservation will come through fixing leaks and educating consumers, Tánaiste Joan Burton has said.

Ms Burton said households will be able to apply to the Department of Social Protection for a water conservation grant of €100.

"One of the things that horrified me and Minister Alan Kelly when we had a look at the data from Irish Water is that there are over forty locations in the State where raw sewage goes into the river and sea. We need to change that in terms of our environment in terms of our own health and EU directives," she said.

Ms Burton was speaking at the Convention Centre in Dublin this evening where there was a large garda presence, but no protestors arrived.

Ms Burton was trapped in her car for over two hours after being hit by a water balloon during an anti-water charge demonstration in Tallaght on Saturday.

Ms Burton said the “scandal” of raw sewage entering rivers and lakes requires “big investment” of up to €10 billion over the next decade.

She said there will be clarity tomorrow in relation to capped charges for a single person household and households with two adults.

Ms Burton said she stood by her previous comment that water charges for a household with two adults and two young adults will be around “€200 net”.

Ms Burton said Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly has provided for a “fresh start and a relaunch” for Irish Water tomorrow.

There will be two special Cabinet meetings to discuss water charges before the new regime is announced tomorrow afternoon.

The first meeting will take place at 7.30am with the second scheduled for 1pm, before the announcement of the new charges package, expected at 3pm.

Ms Burton would not confirm if compliance measures for those who do not pay their water charges, will be contained in the package said it is something Mr Kelly will address tomorrow.