Sir, – Dave Wright (Letters, May 17th), who is not on the mains water and sewage systems, is quite correct to object to paying water charges through general taxation. The recent OECD report highlighted the fact that around 45 per cent of our treated water is lost through leaking pipes, and our waste-water treatment facilities are inadequate.
The problem here seems to be that our politicians kicked this can down the road to Irish Water, and effectively washed their hands of any responsibility for our creaking systems.
Our water treatment systems are in desperate need of upgrading, yet recent Dáil debates have been focused on the urgent need to build thousands of new homes. This suggests it is time for the water users to contribute.
Perhaps each household could be allocated a water quota depending on the number of residents, and excess usage would incur a charge. At least we’d be making use of the meters which were installed at great expense, and helping to modernise our systems which, let’s face it, is in all our interests. – Yours, etc,
MIKE CORMACK,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.