Sir, - The UN has raised the spectre of a chronic water shortage in many parts of the world in the foreseeable future. This phenomenon is, in fact, already manifesting itself in Dublin, albeit for differing reasons.
I wonder has the time come for the metering of domestic water consumption. After all,, if you, want to freshen the front (or back), lawn, or to bring out the shine on the family car, what's unreasonable about being asked to make a modest contribution towards the use of a valuable depleting natural resource. We have some of the purest domestic water supplies here in Ireland, but they are not unlimited.
It's not my intention to exacerbate the debate on water charges, per se. In the year that's in it, consideration of the latter is likely to be politically driven, rather than focused on public health issues.
Water charges are a discriminate form of local taxation and poorly targeted. Domestic metering would establish a direct relationship between consumption and payment, just as happens in the case of other domestic services, such as gas and electricity. Payment could be levied for consumption above a fixed free allowance, which could be generous.
Metering would preserve the principle of consumer sovereignty. The idea is not new - it operates in many European countries. Opponents of my proposal might ponder and inquire into the cost and therapeutic value of proprietary mineral waters. - Yours etc
Montrose Crescent, Artane, Dublin 5.