Connection Charges

The provision of connections requires the payment of certain costs and fees by the customer, as approved by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) in Ireland.

As such, Irish Water has implemented a Connection Charging Policy. This policy provides a standard set of charges for connections to Irish Water’s water and wastewater networks. It also provides a single, clear, transparent and fair connection charging framework. The charges are calculated in a cost-reflective manner, based on connection type.

Standard connection charges will apply to the majority of customers and Irish Water will provide a full connection service to a customer’s boundary, where all components of the connection works are performed by Irish Water.

The charges can be viewed in the Irish Water Charges Plan and also on the CRU website.

These charges are based on standard parameters. Requirements in excess of the standard parameters may incur additional charges. Please see the Connection Charging Policy document for further details. Please also see worked examples of connection charges for typical connections.

* Domestic Development and apartments with multiple units will incur the charge per each individual unit per application.

These charges are based on Connection Infrastructure of up to 10 metres in length. Infrastructure in excess of this will incur additional quotable charges. The charges assume a gravity pipe connection, for non gravity pipe connections additional charges may apply. Please see the Connection Charging Policy document for further details. Please also see worked examples of connection charges for typical connections.

In excess of 15 metres

Any service connection Infrastructure that exceeds 15 metres in total length will be liable for the following: 

• The Standard Connection Charge (that includes the provision of Service Connection Infrastructure of 10m in length)
• The Standard Charge for each additional metre of Service Connection Infrastructure (that exceeds 10m in length, up to a maximum of 15 metres)
• Quotable Charges for each metre of Service Connection Infrastructure that exceeds 15 metres in length

Self-lay surety

Only applicable to domestic housing developments

The self-lay connection agreement sets out the basis of the customer’s contractual agreement with Irish Water for the provision of services. The agreement provides for the vesting in Irish Water of water and wastewater services infrastructure installed by a customer, following quality assurance of the self-lay works and connection to the Irish Water network(s). It includes the provision of financial security to Irish Water (the Self-Lay Financial Security Arrangements) in certain circumstances.

As part of the Connection Charging Policy, a refundable financial security will be required per unit in a self-lay development. This will mitigate risk of asset defects and risk exposure where sub-standard work has been performed. This is applicable where the local infrastructure is provided by the customer and where a self-lay agreement is in place requiring the vesting of the infrastructure in Irish Water. The surety required is outlined below and will apply to all applications submitted on or after 1st April 2019. The surety will apply to each unit within an application.

In addition to the risk exposures outlined above for the water and wastewater infrastructure, there is an additional risk exposure for pump stations (this includes other stand-alone infrastructure facilities) in a development. The financial security relating to this is outlined below:

• Up to 40% of the total cost of the pump station or stand alone infrastructure for the duration of the Defects Liability Period and/or
• Up to 100% of the annual estimates cost of operation and maintenance of these facilities for the duration of the Defects Liability Period

This financial security will be required in addition to the full connection payment and signed counterpart in order for a connection to progress. Upon completion of the defects liability period the surety will be released in line with the Irish Water Financial Security Policy.