Irish Times “Down the Drain” Series
This weekend saw the first of a series of articles on the Irish water supply and the challenges facing it, in the Irish Times, called: Down the Drain: What’s going wrong with Ireland’s water supply?
Including an interview with Environment minister, Phil Hogan, it highlights several key issues going forward:
- a water authority to be set up
- household water metering programme beginning 2014
- perhaps first 40–60 litres per day free
- household water charges of up to €400 per annum (based on UK charges)
- 40% of all water produced is lost to leaks, etc.
- €600m per year needed to meet EU Water Framework Directive, even before tackling issues of leaks
- water will remain a public utility but will require private investment
- minister sees focus on water conservation as water the most urgent infrastructure/resource issue facing Ireland and globe
- by 2050, many nations will not have sufficient water supply to support industry
- industry will migrate to countries which can offer adequate water supply — an economic challenge and opportunity for Ireland
- article discusses controversial plan to pump water from Shannon to supply Dublin region
Read more: Down the Drain: What’s going wrong with Ireland’s water supply?
Irish Water Laws
Changes in Irish Water Law
The Water Services Act 2007 represents a major change in regulations concerning use of water in Ireland, which will have profound impact on business and domestic water usage into the future. The provisions of the Act dovetail with the EU’s Water Framework Directive, which gives legal weight to the polluter pays principle. This principle requires that commercial and domestic water users not only pay for their water supply, but for the cost of treating the waste water that they produce. The aim of the WFD is to minimise the impact of human water use on the environment, by having the user pay for treatment of waste water.
While some aspects of the Act have been implemented, there are many provisions that remain to be, so that its full impact has not been felt. Businesses, not least, car washing & valeting services, will be concerned with the laws that the Act introduces concerning wasting water, conservation of water, and water pollution. Of particular significance for households will be what the Act has to say about water rates and water metering.
Wasting Water
Under the Act any person wilfully wasting or permitting water wastage commits a legal offence. In particular, mention is made of wastage due to leaking or inadequate pipes, valves, etc., or poor management of operational systems. The water service provider – usually a local authority – may direct (with force of law) that the owner or occupier of a premises upgrade their plumbing or works to a standard determined by the service provider to eliminate leaks and waste of water, and/or to introduce more water-efficient work practices. Moreover, the water service provider may restrict the amount of water supplied to the premises, usually with notice, but with immediate effect if concerned that human health, the environment or the integrity of the water provision system are threatened. Any financial costs or losses due to the restriction or even cutting-off of a water supply in these circumstances are borne by the owner or occupier in question.
Conservation of Water
The Minister for the Environment is given significant powers to alter established patterns of water usage in order to conserve water. S/he can not only issue directives about water conservation, but can require the introduction of specific devices or systems to reduce water use. The Minister can also require the introduction of technologies or systems to collect, treat (to a specified standard), and re-use (for purposes other than human consumption) “storm water” (i.e. rainwater) or “grey water” (water already used on a premises, but not in toilets or urinals, and not otherwise seriously contaminated by use).
Already familiar is the provision that, if there is a water shortage or threat of water shortage, a water service provider may prohibit using a hosepipe to water a garden, parks or sports grounds, water or spray crops, or to wash a car or other vehicle. And, as many commercial car washes will have experienced during and after the cold snaps of the last couple of winters, water service providers can prohibit or restrict water use in commercial car washing services during times of shortage.
Water Pollution
A significant change introduced by the Act concerns the water run-off from trade premises. Prior to this Act, collection and treatment of run-off water were typically of concern only to highly regulated sectors such as agriculture, heavy industry, or the chemical industry. The Act now provides that any discharge, by any premises, of trade effluent or other matter into a sewer owned or controlled by the water authority or any storm drain, will be an offence, unless it is done under licence. And such licences are granted subject to the environmental or human effects of such discharges, and can be refused or reviewed. This provision will have a direct and serious impact on car washing businesses, which will have to collect and treat any runoff that is contaminated with toxic chemicals.
Consequences for businesses
To recap, the Water Services Act 2007 will have significant impact on businesses when fully implemented, especially those which are traditionally heavy water-users. Businesses will have to:
- Cut out water wastage
- Introduce water-efficient technologies and work practices
- Collect, treat and (where possible) establish means of re-using run-off from their various processes, and not allow run-off to enter sewer systems or drains
- Collect and, where appropriate, use storm water
- Bear the costs of implementing the above measures
In response to these challenges, GreenValet has developed a complete solution for car wash & valeting businesses, which can be used with waterless and water-based systems. GreenValet’s waterless car wash system completely eliminates use of toxic substances and practically eliminates run-off. Our solution for water-based car wash system immediately renders such a business 100% non-toxic and significantly reduces water usage.
Water Metering
The Act also provides for the introduction of water metering and water charges. Once introduced, water meters are mandatory and the local authority can recoup the costs of supplying and fitting the meters via a rental charge, though the Act allows that meters might be supplied free of charge. What people may not be aware of is that the Act also allows for metering of domestic waste water. All the water from a household that ends up entering the drains or sewers can be metered and users can be charged accordingly. This is already the case in the UK, for instance, where the charge for waste water can be as high as the charge for a water supply in the first place. The challenge then for households will be to
- not to waste water
- be water-efficient
- re-use grey-water
- collect and use rainwater (other than for human consumption)
GreenValet waterless car cleaning products and domestic cleaning products will help you reduce both domestic water usage and the amount of chemicals introduced into your waste water.
For great water savings, see our Top Ten Water-Saving Tips.
The EU — The Polluter Pays
The EU Water Framework Directive
In 2000, the European Union issued its Water Framework Directive (WFD). This directive called for a more holistic approach to how water quality and levels of water pollution are assessed. It placed the focus on river basins, because this is where most cities, towns, industries and agricultural activities are centred, and because rivers are a primary source of water for domestic and other uses. (It also takes other water systems into account.) The WFD directed that, in future, water quality and water pollution must be assessed, not simply by water testing against a given standard, but by examining the impact of human activity upon the ecosystem of a river basin or water system as a whole. The impact on animal and plant life, changes in water chemistry and in hydromorphology, will determine whether a water system is judged to have good quality water.
This move raises the bar for water quality testing, challenging any temptation to set standards that might be more easily met, but which would have an environmental cost. Every EU country must achieve a ‘good’ status in all of their significant river basins and water systems by 2015. To see where Ireland stands in relation to these standards, see our blog post Water Quality in Ireland.
The Polluter Pays
Another significant, related directive of the WFD is that the polluter pays principle should inform not only policy around major pollution incidents, but water supply and waste water charges as well. This has far-reaching implications. The polluter pays principle says that industries, businesses and agriculture must pay for the cost of water supplies and also for any waste water treatment of the run-off from their plants, premises or farms. All such costs associated with maintaining water quality are to be built into users’ water charges.
However, almost every human use of water pollutes it. Domestic washing, cleaning, toilet and sewer systems, all add dirt, waste and chemicals to the water we use. And so the polluter pays principle applies to domestic water usage too. Under the WFD, domestic users will pay for the water they use and also for the post-use treatment of that water. This is already the case in the UK, where domestic users can pay as much for the quantity of waste water they allow flow into the sewers as for the water they draw from the water supply in the first place. (Waste water is also metered). The challenge for households will be to minimise water use and to minimise their pollution of that water.
Water Charges
The WFD does not allow governments to profit from water charges, but the directive recommends two policies which will push water charges upward. First, governments are directed to price water at a sufficiently high level so as that users will be motivated to reduce their water usage. (Higher water charges, together with more water-efficient technologies, have been an important factor in falling domestic water usage in many European countries.) Second, governments are encouraged to take a long-term economic view. In principle, this means that prices might fall due to anticipated falling costs of supplying water in the future. In practice, it is more likely to mean that governments will factor into current prices anticipated future increases in the cost of maintaining an adequate water supply due to higher demand, increased industrial activity, the need to replace or upgrade infrastructure, or more exacting environmental standards, etc.
The Challenges Ahead
In 2007, the Irish Government enacted the Water Services Act, which goes some way toward meeting the requirements of the EU directive, though many of the Act’s provisions remain to be fully implemented. As they are implemented, the challenge for households and businesses will be
- to reduce water use through elimination of water wastage
- to reduce water use through water-efficient practices and equipment
- to minimise contamination of water used
- to re-use grey-water appropriately
- to collect and use rainwater appropriately
GreenValet’s waterless car cleaning & valeting products and domestic cleaning products offer households significant ways of reducing their water usage.
For car valeting businesses and the auto industry, GreenValet’s Complete Car Cleaning & Valeting Solution offers a 100% non-toxic waterless system and a water-based system, which will reduce water use significantly and which is 100% non-toxic.
See our Top 10 Water Saving Tips.