IRISH WATER HAS confirmed that it has sent text messages to customers who haven’t paid their bills, but says it’s normal procedure.

A number of householders who signed up for the utility but have yet to pay their bills have been receiving texts in the last number of weeks.

A spokesperson for Irish Water told TheJournal.ie that reminders by post, email and text are commonplace in the utilities sector and anyone who got a text would have to have given their number voluntarily.

“We didn’t send out any reminders during the first billing cycle, but as we are in the second billing cycle, some customers who have not yet paid will have received reminders.”

Irish Water says that for those who have registered but are struggling to pay, it has a “number of payment plans” and will work with customers.

The company also says that any communications it makes with customers is done within guidelines set out by both the Commission for Energy Regulation and the Data Protection Commissioner.

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