Sir, - Following Frank Convery's appeal for a reasoned discussion of the issue of water charges, we might consider the results of an ESRI national survey of several years ago. The survey, stating that water services will become more expensive because of higher standards, asked people how they felt water services should be paid for. Three main options for paying for water services were spelt out: (1) through higher taxes; (2) through fixed service charges; (3) by charges based on the amount used. (Free water does not exist, the only options are how we pay its costs.)
The survey showed that fewer than 5 per cent thought they should be paid for through higher taxes. The remaining 95 per cent favoured charges. Interestingly, of those favouring charges, nearly half felt that drinking water should be charged on the basis of the amount used. It appears from this that, when the options are adequately spelt out to them, many people are in agree Frank Convery's approach. In fact, the opinions expressed are compatible with results from other surveys.
These results have been reported widely at conferences and in the ESRI book on the "polluter pays" principle, for example, but it is worth repeating them here to inform the debate. If, on considering the real options, people do not prefer taxes to charges, then Irish negotiators in Brussels can relax their resistance to the Water Framework Directive. - Yours, etc.,
Sue Scott
Wellington Road, Dublin 4.