All non-domestic users of the water service must pay water charges.

Under the Water Pricing policy,  government funding is provided to local authorities for domestic water services only.  Domestic water is very strictly defined to mean water for ordinary household purposes within a residential situation.

There is a specific requirement on local authorities to meter and charge for all non-domestic water supplied and there is no discretion for exceptions because there is no other source of funding.   As is the case with other utilities,  there is no option to waive water charges.  However,  unlike private utility suppliers,  no profit may be made on the service.

It is also hoped that consumers will be conscious of the water they use and will try and conserve water which is a valuable and finite resource.  A lot of water is wasted through taps not being turned off when not in use and through leakages in taps and pipes.  Charging by volume is in accordance with the application of the “Polluter Pays” Principle and the EU Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC).

The relevant Local Authority bills for non-domestic water. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County council will bill for its area.

THere is an annual standing charge for the available of the service plus a volume charge based on the volume of water used.

The charge for water supply and for wastewaster collection and treatment is based on the actual cost of providing the service. Water supplies are metered to the maximum practicable extent and bills are based on this information.

Water charges are now based on an annual standing charge plus a charge based on the volume used - the less water used, the less you pay. The metering system provides information regarding water usage and will alert the customers and Local Authorities to possible leaks. It may be worthwhile for customers to examine current water usage with a view to economising and conserving water where possible - further advice is available online at www.taptips.ie/at-work.htm . Commercial rates no longer contribute to water services funding.

In the majority of cases the meters and meter reading equipment is located externally and as close to the property boundary as possible.  However in some cases, due to services congestion or limited space, meters have to be installed internally within the premises.

The customer is responsible for all leaks downstream of the meter; responsibility extends to payment for all water measured by the meter and location and repair of leaks.

In the majority of circumstances, the council is responsible for leaks upstream or at the customer’s meter. The exception is where it has been necessary to install a meter within a customers premises. In this case, the customer is responsible for leaks upstream of the meter as far as the premises boundary or stopcock in the public area.

In the exceptional circumstance where the meter to customer pipe junction is leaking downstream of the meter, the council may be responsible for the repair of the leak and attributable water usage. Where there is reason to suspect that this is the case, the council will excavate to inspect this junction on payment of a deposit of €750. This deposit and water usage attributable to the leak will be refunded or credited against water charges only where the joint is found to be leaking. Where the connection pipe from the meter to the customer boundary is found to be leaking, the responsibility for water usage rests with the customer as above but the repair will be carried out by the council on the customer’s behalf, the repair cost being set against the deposit. 

If it is not practicable to separately meter the non-domestic usage, a domestic allowance will be applied and deducted from the metered volume of water supplied.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council issues three bills a year.

You should contact Water Charges section, Finance Department, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, County Hall, Marine Road, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin or by the following methods:

Phone:              (01) 204 7074 
FAX:                (01) 280 5581

e-mail:           watercharges@dlrcoco.ie

website:         www.dlrcoco.ie

You can pay your water charges by the following methods

By Bank Giro transfer
A Bank Giro will be attached to your bill.

By Post
Cheques, Postal Orders or Money Orders

In person
At the Council’s Offices by cheque. 

Cash is not accepted at the Council's offices in County Hall or Dundrum. Also, cash should not be sent through the post.

For information on how to fix an air lock, please click on the following link, Air Locks(pdf -56kb) 

If your central heating system has been installed by a registered contractor, it should be run from a separate expansion tank in the attic.  This water should not be affected by a water main shutdown and it should be safe to run the system.  However, you should check with your installer/plumber to confirm.

(Water charges will be based on metered quantities at the unit rates shown in the table above, plus Annual Standing Charge.  Fixed or estimated charges on some customers may apply where metering problems arise.)

The water could be turned off to facilitate the repair of a burst watermain in your area.  Check with your neighbours to see if they have water. If your neighbours have a water supply, it could mean there's an internal problem within your own property, therefore you would need to source a plumber to check your system.

The owner of the property is responsible for the drain all the way to the Council's main sewer, even where the drain runs over a public space, e.g. over the path and/no over the road. When called out, the Council Inspector will be able to locate the site of the blockage by examining the Council's sewer manholes. If the Council's sewer is clear, this means the blockage is in the private drain of the house/houses. In that case, the owner of the house should find a suitable company to clear the blockage. Click on Private Drain Maintenance for more information.