Water meter installation to start next week

The installation of water meters for more than one million homes at a cost of €539 million is to begin next week.

Work will begin in Kildare, concentrating on the towns of Maynooth, Leixlip and Celbridge.

Households connected to the public mains in Kerry, Meath and Wexford can expect to have meters in stalled in September, while meters should be installed in Dublin City, Limerick and Mayo and Fingal from October.

The installation programme will not begin in the remaining counties until next year.

Installation is due to continue until the end of 2016. Irish Water estimates 1,600 jobs will be available through contractors installing the meters and said one in four positions will be allocated for small businesses, the unemployed, early school leavers and graduates.

The three regional contractors have been appointed to manage the installation of water meters across six regions are GMC/Sierra Ltd, J Murphy & Sons Ltd, and Coffey Northumbrian Ltd.

Meters will be installed outside domestic residences, generally at stopcock points on the public footpath.

Households will be notified 14 days before installation, and again two days before, but do not need to be at home when the meter is installed. A contractor with their company and Irish Water identification will call to the door and will ask any occupants not to use the water for the duration of installation which can take two hours. On the same day, or within two to three days of installation the contractor will call to the door again to check the meter is connected properly and that water supply is working correctly.

Contractors have a maximum of 10 working days to reinstate the ground outside properties, if they don’t, they won’t get paid, Irish Water said.

Charges, which have yet to be determined will apply in the last quarter of 2014 and bills will be issued in 2015. Those without meters will have to pay an assessed charge.