Water Charges for a New Build

ScarletFeather · 01-08-2014 1:25pm #1

We started a self build in Oct 2013 and paid over 2000 euro in fees towards water charges. Prior to 1st Jan 2014 all new houses were subject to pay a significant contribution to water charges as part of county council development charges which were a condition on their planning permission. We still haven't connected to the public water supply as the build got held up on a few occasions and we are now hoping to be moved in by Xmas. We probably wont need connection to water until late this year.

Anyhow...my point is. We have not yet used public water system. By the time we will connect the water system will be taken over by Irish Water and we will be paying for the service and upkeep of the water mains through yearly water charges. I feel a bit hard done by that we paid over 2000 euro for water charges to the co co when they have no longer got any remit in this area. We have effectively paid for a service we never used from the co co.

Does this make sense to anyone? Is it something worth challenging with them?

Victor · 01-08-2014 4:58pm

All utilities charge for connections. What is coming in are charges for usage. Completely different things. Its a little like objecting to having to buy fuel for your vehicle.

ScarletFeather · 01-08-2014 5:48pm

Victor, I understand what you are saying but you are incorrect in your information. We have to pay an additional fee to the council for us to connect to the system. We haven't connected yet. The fee which we have paid is contributions to the council as part of a planning application. The fee is over 10,000euro and broken into Roads, Amenities and Water. The water fee has always been charged by the county council which, in part, went towards maintaining the water supply. This function is now taken over by Irishwater and that is what our water charges are for. As a result from Jan 2014, no new application has to pay water fees to the council.
My argument is....we got planning permission in 2013 and paid the fee in Oct before we could commence the build but have not yet used water and are not ready to be connected, so effectively we have paid 2000 euro to the co co for nothing. I might be flogging a dead horse as the dates are not on my side, things only changed in Jan. All new applicants from Jan 2014 DO NOT have to pay co co contributions for water.

Do I make any sense. 2000 euro is a lot of money for water which we will be paying for anyway over our lifetime

MouseTail · 01-08-2014 6:07pm

Ouch. Do new applicants have to pay a fee to Irish Water or just a connection fee? Has the Council contribution decreased for new applicants, or have they simply made up the shortfall by increasing the other contributions?

I would think it is worthwhile contacting a good Councillor in your area about this.

TheDriver · 01-08-2014 6:24pm

Different councils charge different contributions. Its a way to get money unfortunately...

ScarletFeather · 01-08-2014 7:59pm

That's a thing I am not sure of Mousetail. I can find no reference to it in their FAQ section. I must ring and check or it is just robbing Peter to pay Paul and I am wasting my time!!

Our Co Co have just stopped water as part of contributions. It is now just roads and amenities since Jan. The cost of the other areas hasn't gone up as a consequence (yet) All the planning applications are clearly visible online.

This paragraph taken directly from my co co planning website states

Under previous Schemes contributions were also levied for the refurbishment, upgrading, enlargement or replacement of sewers, waste water and water treatment facilities, service connections and water mains. In accordance with the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 a range of statutory water services functions have transferred from Local Authorities to Irish Water from 1st January 2014

I think I am fighting a losing battle as we were granted planning permission in 2013 and did send a commencement notice to the co co in Oct so therefore were in the period liable for water fees. I am just a bit pi***ed off that we paid 2000 for 'water' contributions when we are not even on the public water system yet and when we do join the system we will be paying Irish water after already paying 2000 to our co co.

Yes TheDriver...all co co are different and have different rates but from Jan 2014 no co co in Ireland are charging water contributions.
On a side note...it is crazy the discrepancy between co co's that amount of fees charged for contributions.

Water Charges for a New Build

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