COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, February 08, 2010

MOTION NO.3

MOTION: Councillor D. Looney

That this Council, noting that due to recent budget cutbacks, schools across South Dublin are now increasingly underfunded and unable to make ends meet, notes the Fianna Fáil-Green Party Government decision to introduce metered water charges for all schools from January 1st 2010. The Council therefore asks the Manager to write to all school principals in the County informing them of the new metered water charges, and asks the Manager to inform all schools that they can apply to the Department of Education and Science’s Summer Works Scheme for funding to install water conservation measures in schools.

REPORT:

The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government Circular Letter WSP1/08 notified Local Authorities of transitional arrangements for the implementation of the Water Services Pricing Policy in relation to schools. The Circular advised of arrangements to be applied pending the implementation of full cost recovery and volumetric charging for schools as and from 1 January 2010.

South Dublin County Council, by letter dated 3 March 2008, notified every school Chairperson and Principal of the transitional arrangements and how they would be applied. The schools were also offered the services of the Council's Water Services Engineers and Inspectors as well as the Council's Environmental Awareness Service in assiting/advising them on Water Conservation matters that would assist them to minimise their potential bill.

Since 2008, the Council has issued Quarterly indicative bills to schools  advising them of the volume of water being consumed within the period and the charge that would have been applied had volumetric charging been applicable. Schools have been reminded that the services of the Council were available to them should they wish to discuss any specific concerns they may have had in relation to their Water Supply. Information leaflets have also been circulated advising on how the water meter works.

Following on from Government Policy and the adoption of this Council's Budget 2010 schools will now be billed on a volumetric basis.

Notification will shortly issue to schools reminding them that their first bills will issue at the end of the first quarter 2010 and again advising them of the services available to them from this Council in relation to their Water Supply and Water Conservation in general.