Billing Explained
In January 2014 Irish Water assumed responsibility for public water services. Your Local Authority then began issuing bills for water services to your business on our behalf, managing all queries in relation to your business account. Over a phased basis, Irish Water began managing all business accounts directly including billing for water services.
There are two types of bills:
Metered bill
If your premises has a meter you will receive metered bills. Our Understand your bill page contains information about metered bills. Visit our Business charges page for information on metered water charges.
Unmetered bill
If your premises doesn’t have a meter you receive unmetered bills. Our Understand your bill page contains information about unmetered bills. Visit our Business charges page for information on unmetered water charges. We bill all customers based on previous usage.
Paying your bill
Payments must be made directly to Irish Water (not your Local Authority). You can pay your business water services bill in a number of ways.
- Our billing page gives details on our convenient payment options
- If you haven't already done so you may need to update your payment arrangements to direct payments to Irish Water
Business and domestic use premises
Some business customers may use water services at a premises for both business and domestic purposes. This is called mixed usage. Mixed usage may include farms with a farmhouse, B&Bs, or retail units with residential accommodation located above them.
- Business water use includes usage within offices, hairdressers, restaurants, industry and agriculture
- Domestic water use is the personal use of water within a household
Additional services
For additional services, for example sludge removal, we issue separate bills under separate Irish Water account numbers. Contact us to request additional services.
Important note on new charges
Irish Water's new non-domestic tariff framework for business customers was due to come into effect on 1 May 2020. This was deferred as a result of the current COVID-19 emergency. The decision was taken by Irish Water with the support of our economic regulator, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) and the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. No decision has been made on a new date for the implementation of the new charges, we will publish further updates in due course.
Business Tariff Calculator
You can still use our Business Tariff Calculator to calculate your future bill amount. Here we provide a detailed explanation on each Service Type Definition so you can utilise the calculator accurately.
Leakage Allowance
How does a customer apply for a leak allowance?
To qualify for a leak allowance:
- All previous bills must be paid up to date.
- In order to receive a full leak allowance, customers must notify Irish Water of the leak within six months of the bill where the leak is first evidenced and must fix the leak within a further six weeks.
- If one or both of these time limits is not met, the customer will have a further three months to notify and fix the leak in order to receive a 50% leak allowance.
- Leak allowances will be granted for leaks on the external supply pipe and also for leaks on underground pipework.
- Customer must submit a valid Plumber’s report. A valid plumber’s report will
- State that a leak has been identified and repaired
- Confirm the location of the leak
- Provide the date and the read when the leak was repaired
- Signed, with a VAT/CRO number or Company stamp
The customer will be asked to provide a confirmation read at least two weeks after the leak period end date to confirm the leak has been repaired. Customer reads will be accepted as a confirmation read but the customer must be advised that once their next actual read is received, Irish Water reserves the right to review the consumption and the allowance may be subject to change
Trade Effluent
A key distinguishing feature between the provision of water and wastewater services in the non-domestic sector is that wastewater strength can vary quite significantly and can have very different treatment costs, sometimes justifying an additional charge for users discharging wastewater with strengths greater than ‘normal strength’ or domestic wastewater. Trade Effluent is typically a residual waste of trade, service, research or manufacturing activities in the form of wastewater that is discharged to the sewer. Trade Effluent typically has a different composition to domestic wastewater and may contain additional pollutants that proves difficult to treat. The management of extra matter contained in Trade Effluent such as organic wastes, soluble or insoluble chemicals or compounds, including nutrients or metals, can lead to increased costs associated with the monitoring, treatment and disposal of the Trade Effluent or its by-products.
Under Section 16 of the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act 1977 (as amended), an individual or business may not discharge a trade effluent to the sewer except in accordance with a licence issued under these regulations.
If you have any queries about Trade Effluent charges you can contact Irish Water at 1850 778 778.