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Connections

Irish Water: Allanah

Irish Water, the national water utility, has responsibility for the delivery of water and wastewater services to homes and businesses across the Republic of Ireland, including the provision of water service connections to new developments. Since taking over this responsibility in January 2014, Irish Water has been improving the delivery of services to customers.

Connections and Developer Services (CDS), a department within Irish Water’s Asset Management function, has responsibility for the provision of water services connections to new developments. CDS is rolling out a transformation project, to better streamline the services that it provides to customers. This transformation project is well underway and comprises the following:

1. The establishment of a pre-connection enquiry system, which allows developers who are considering the advancement of a development to establish from Irish Water if water services can be provided from its networks to the site. This is a free service and results in the provision of a confirmation of feasibility (COF) indicating what service can be provided by Irish Water at that time. This COF can be submitted with planning applications to show that engagement has taken place with IW. PCE forms are available on the Irish Water website here.

2. The roll out of an Irish Water connections application process, and accompanying guidance. Irish Water is now the single point of contact for customers seeking new water and/or wastewater connection for new developments. Connection applications for new water and/or water service connections can be made directly to Irish Water via the Irish Water website www.water.ie/connections/.

3. The publication of Irish Water technical documents, comprising Standard Details and Codes of Practice. These technical documents outline Irish Water’s requirements for the provision of water and wastewater infrastructure in new developments where this is being provided by the developer by way of a self-lay approach. These technical documents are available on the Irish Water website here.

4. The application of new quality assurance (QA) measures for self-lay infrastructure that is to be adopted and the adoption/vesting of these assets upon connection (water and waste water infrastructure within new housing developments). The quality assurance measures are enabled by a self lay connection agreement. The quality assurance is undertaken by Irish Water engaging with developers and inspecting the water and wastewater infrastructure at an early stage before its connection to the Irish Water networks.

5. The mobilisation of dedicated regional contractors (RCs) to complete the connection of new infrastructure to the Irish Water networks using standardised processes and systems. The regional contractors operate where Local Authorities Water Services staff do not or are not available to provide connection work themselves but require customers to undertake the physical connection works. Currently CDS regional contractors are being mobilised in various Local Authority areas and this process will continue through 2018.

To date, the first three deliverables have been completed and the remaining two deliverables are well underway.

Connection Charging Policy

Irish Water is working with the Commission for Regulations of Utilities (CRU) in putting in place an enduring national Connection Charging Policy (CCP). It is intended that the CCP will replace the current practice of applying 57 different charging regimes, requiring about 900 variations in calculating connection charges. The CRU held a 10 week public consultation in early 2018 which commenced in early January and concluded on March 23rd. The CRU is currently considering the feedback received from this public consultation and will announce its decision in due course.

Diversions, Alterations and Building Over

Under Section 45 of the Water Services Act it is an offence to interfere with and/or cause damage to Irish Water’s networks. Approval is required in accordance with Section 98 of the Water Services Act to alter or divert networks. Section 104 of the Water Services Act prohibits building over water services infrastructure without the appropriate approval of Irish Water. Connection and Development Services (CDS) should be contacted if a developer/customer wishes to divert, build over or near our existing water services infrastructure.

Diversions may be required if a water main or sewer in the ownership of Irish Water traverse a development site and its diversion is required to facilitate construction. A diversion application should be made to Irish Water if the relocation of such infrastructure is required. CDS will contact the developer/customer regarding the application and if acceptable offer a diversion agreement. To find out more please visit www.water.ie/connections

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DrPhilG

Allanah it's been nearly 6 weeks since I asked and not only do I not have an answer, now my PMs are being ignored too.

Bad form.

Irish Water: Mairead

Hi DrPhilG,

DrPhilG wrote: »

Allanah it's been nearly 6 weeks since I asked and not only do I not have an answer, now my PMs are being ignored too.

Bad form.

We're very sorry to hear this and would like to assure you that we are following up on this matter for you.

A member of our team will be in touch via PM as soon as possible with an update.

Kind regards,
Mairead

Xon

Heads up to people seeking new connections and particularly self-builders

+1 this post if you feel the same

My experience is that the Irish Water guidance, documentation, and videos around the connection process are inaccurate, insufficient and ambiguous.

Reading the documentation will leave a customer with one vision of what will happen but the reality is entirely different.

So take a very simple scenario;
- A new build house on a corner site of an existing housing estate;
- With a water main already located in the footpath outside the new house;
- You have completed works within and up to your boundary and have a pipe ready to connect to the mains located beside your boundary.
- You paid your Irish Water fee which includes a "Works Fee" and an "Infrastructure Fee"

You may be under the impression (based on Irish Water guidance) that once you have completed the application process and paid your fee that Irish Water together with their agents will work to connect you to the water supply.

WRONG!!!

- You must now obtain a road opening licence!;
- Not so bad? - You can't get one of these unless you have insurance in place and have completed 3 days of mandatory training;
- You probably already have the insurance given that you are building a house;
- Either way the training and licence will cost you €1,000 if you do it yourself;
- So you must now employ an insured contractor do dig a hole in the path for you €€€
- Irish water will then show up and plug in a meter in 10 minutes!!

Value for money eh!

So how did I get it all so wrong???

Well......

Watch the Irish Water video, linked below, for a laugh..

https://www.water.ie/connections/information/

"We will design and make the connection" they say and look at the graphic that goes with it

Confusing? Misleading?

Check out the "Connection Assets and Responsibilities" on page 9 of the "Guide to Connect"

https://www.water.ie/connections/new-connections/domestic/8-10.10.16-Guide-to-connect_Domestic-02_NT-changes.pdf

Check out the diagrams - customer responsible for everything up to 225mm outside your boundary it seems!? - That's not all!! (there's more

)

Confusing? Misleading?

Check out Section 5 of Irish Water's "Guide to Connect"

5".1 Physical connection Having received the acceptance requirements and processed your payment, Irish Water will contact you to agree a mutually suitable time for the provision of the physical connection...."

Not really true!!

Yes, Irish water's service description and contract documentation is nothing short of misleading at best,
and yes Mr/Mrs customer and tax payer, you will pick up an extra bill €€ for it,
and you will pay your planning permission fees,
and you will engage a private contractor to dig a hole in the road,
and you will pay for a licence to dig that whole in the road, a
nd you will pay for Irish water to contract the Local Authority to come and have a look into that hole in the road
and then if you are really lucky this good State of ours through its Semi-state bodies and agents might just well connect that little water pie to that big water pipe,
and you will rejoice :)

Mickiemcfist

Hi, I'm looking at buying a house which had its water disconnected as it is a receiver sale, would there be a full connection charge or what would it cost to connect back?

Thanks

Irish Water: Niamh

Hi Mickiemcfist,

Mickiemcfist wrote: »

Hi, I'm looking at buying a house which had its water disconnected as it is a receiver sale, would there be a full connection charge or what would it cost to connect back?

Thanks

We would recommend that you call our New Connections Department on 1850 278 278 and a member of the team will be able to help. Our New Connections department is open between 9am-5:30pm from Monday to Friday.

Kind regards,
Niamh

Old Gill

Hi, we are looking to extend our terraced house to the rear but would first need to divert the drain in order to get planning permission.

Can you please give an idea of the fixed costs Irish water will charge for this in addition to the fee charged by our builder? I read Irish Water need to supervise the work but there's no mention of costs involved.

Thanks

Irish Water: Mairead

Hi Old Gill,

Old Gill wrote: »

Hi, we are looking to extend our terraced house to the rear but would first need to divert the drain in order to get planning permission.

Can you please give an idea of the fixed costs Irish water will charge for this in addition to the fee charged by our builder? I read Irish Water need to supervise the work but there's no mention of costs involved.

Thanks

Thanks for getting in touch.

You can see more on our connection charges here, however cost is determined on a case by case basis.

You can see more on our connections process on our website.

Thanks,
Mairead

chippey

Hi,

We are in the process of building a house in a private estate. We were sold the site as fully serviced and there is a manhole on our site for sewer connection and a pipe I assume leads to the watermain in the road. As these connections were carried out when the site was initially developed 20+ years ago and under local county council control (prior to Irish water) is there anything we need to do with Irish Water right now. No water meters have been installed in any of the other houses in the estate but will we need to install a meter? The connection to the sewer system seems to be fine and I can only assume as it is connected there is no need to apply for a connection.

Thanks for any help in this matter.

Irish Water: Agata

Hi chippey,

Thanks for your query.:)

We are currently looking into this for you, once we receive more information on this, we will be in touch.

In the meantime, thank you for your patience.

Thanks,
Agata

Irish Water: Mairead

Hi Chippey,

chippey wrote: »

Hi,

We are in the process of building a house in a private estate. We were sold the site as fully serviced and there is a manhole on our site for sewer connection and a pipe I assume leads to the watermain in the road. As these connections were carried out when the site was initially developed 20+ years ago and under local county council control (prior to Irish water) is there anything we need to do with Irish Water right now. No water meters have been installed in any of the other houses in the estate but will we need to install a meter? The connection to the sewer system seems to be fine and I can only assume as it is connected there is no need to apply for a connection.

Thanks for any help in this matter.

We have received an update and we recommend you send your query to operations@water.ie or call us on 1850 278 278 and a member of the team can assist you further.

Thanks,
Mairead

DesperateDan

Hi folks,

I want to get our house connected which is probably around 300m from the nearest mains connection but we need a ballpark figure first. It was always on a well and is probably nearly 100 years old.

Trying to fill out the pre-connection enquiry form and you need a location map and a layout map and "invert level of connection supplies". Where does one get these maps you want and what is an "invert level of connection point" and how do I get that please

Irish Water: Daniel V

Hi Dan,

Thank you for getting in touch.

You can get ordinance survey maps from your Local Authority.

I'm currently following up on the rest of your query with our New Connections Team and as soon as I have further information for you I will be in touch.

Thanks,
Daniel

Irish Water: Daniel V

Hi Dan,

I have received an update from our New Connections Team in relation to your query. They have advised to contact the Planning Department of your Local Authority and they will be able to provide the information requested.

Thanks,
Daniel

Vodkat

Hi, I paid my connection fee and sent back the form but haven't heard anything since.

Irish Water: Agata

Vodkat wrote: »

Hi, I paid my connection fee and sent back the form but haven't heard anything since.

Hi Vodkat,

Thanks for getting in touch and we're sorry to hear this.

Would you mind sending us a PM with the following details:

- Name;
- Address;
- Contact number; and
- New connection reference number

Thanks,
Agata

helen87

Hi,

I am looking to get a water connection for a new build that is not started yet but cannot commence without being approved for connection. my question is when i am going through the online application it asks for two maps to be provided, do these have to be official land registry maps? or can i use maps used by the engineer for planning. Also when marking the spots where the connection should be, can i do this or does the engineer need to do this?

gerryg80

Hi,

Id like to try and get a water connection onto a site, main purpose is to provide water for agriculture. There is mains connection on the road on which the site is located. Can you provide direction as to where I can apply for this, most of the application processes seem "domestic" related. Any advise appreciated.

pynchy

Well this thread shows what a nightmare this can be. Look slike communication and feedback from IW isn't great.