Government must be fair with water charges, says farmer

John Bateman has spent in the region of €50,000 on water over the past 24 years.

In 1992, he dug a well on his 180-acre farm in Meanus, Co Limerick. Since then, the cost of supplying water to his family and his livestock has increased, sometimes by degrees, sometimes by larger sums.

As the debate over water charges trickles on, Mr Bateman (54) remained apprehensive about how much more he may be forced to pay, and for whom.

“The country is going in a funny direction,” he said, “. . . some people seem to be paying for everything.”

"I have my own well. I'm here for the last 24 years and I'm on my fourth water pump – they cost about €4,000 a piece," he told The Irish Times.

It costs about €600 per year to keep the electrical pump running water to both his home and 180-acre farm, as well as the €130 per year in maintenance fees.

“The cost of digging the well was around €15,000. I bought the farm 24 years ago and four pumps later . . . I’ve probably spent tens of thousands on my water.

‘Two-tier country’

“I’ve an electric meter on the pump, and estimate I spend about €600 a year on electricity to run the pump.

“The Government needs to show fairness. The reality is, in my opinion, we are back to a two-tier country; I’m paying for my water but if we are all to pay for water through general taxation I’ll be paying for my water twice. The [other guy] won’t be paying for my water, but I’ll be paying for his, as well as my own, through general taxation.”

Mr Bateman said he doesn’t receive a water subsidy or grant but is entitled to claim as an expense some of the cost of the water infrastructure on his farm.

His view was clear; everybody should be paying: “Water is a very expensive thing to produce. It’s costing serious money, and it has to be paid for.”

They got it wrong

“I feel sorry for the people who paid their [Irish Water] bills, but, god forgive me . . . they just got it wrong. The people who didn’t pay their bills got away with it,” he said.

“I’m going to end up paying for water for myself, and for everyone else in general taxation.

“I’ve no problem with people protesting, if they feel they’re aggrieved. Maybe we all should do a lot more of it. But there needs to be fairness shown by our Government.

“I don’t have a problem paying for water, if there is fairness,” he reiterated.

“It’s hard for the likes of me. I don’t want to sound mean and nasty, but I feel once is enough to pay for water.”