REDUCED WATER CHARGES announced by the Government in November were approved today by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER).

The changes announced by Environment Minister Alan Kelly included two flat rates that will be in place until the end of 2018.

To refresh your memory, these are the key pieces of information:

• Every household in the country will be entitled to €100 rebate from the Department of Social Protection if they sign up with Irish Water.
• There are two capped rates. If you are an adult living on your own you will pay €60 per year for water when the €100 rebate is included – or around €1.15 a week.
• If you are an adult living with one or more adults you will pay pay €160 per year for water when the €100 rebate is included – or around €3 a week.
• So effectively no household in the country will have to pay more than €160 a year for water.
• These capped charges – the maximum amount people will have to pay – will be in place until 1 January 2019.

Some other small changes were also approved including a €100 fee for meter testing and €17 for a special meter reading.

CER also said registration with Irish Water at any stage over 2015 will entitle a customer to all allowances which will be backdated to the start of the year.

Confirmed: Here’s how much you’ll be paying for water – and what happens if you don’t>

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