HOW MANY PEOPLE have paid their water bills?

Right now, it’s unclear, but Anti Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy says that something isn’t adding up.

The utility last night released figures which show that a total of 830,000 households are now paying their water charges.

This, they say, represents 55% of the total customer base.

However, Murphy isn’t buying that number.

“After my appearance on Morning Ireland this morning, where I questioned this figure, Irish Water has released more information.

“Now, the RTE website reports that ‘Irish Water has said 90% of customers who paid a bill during the first billing cycle have already paid their second bill. It said 150,000 additional households began paying for the first time during the second billing cycle.’

Anybody capable of doing the maths will be able to see that this does not add up to 55% payment. 675,000 were reported as having paid the first bill in July, 43% of the total, which indicates a total targeted payment of 1,570,000 people.

“If 10% of those who paid the first bill have not paid the second bill, you have to deduct 67,500.

Then adding the 150,000 claimed as new payers gives a total figure for payment of the second bill of 757,500. That is a payment rate, not of 55%, but of 48%. The significance is that a majority, 52%, of people are still refusing to pay the water charges.

Irish Water, however, doesn’t agree.

A spokesperson said in a statement that revenue was up 24% in the second billing cycle.

The utility says that 745,000 households paid during the second billing cycle, compared to 675,000 in the first. In total, 830,000 households have now paid part or all of their bills, representing 55% of the customer base of 1.52 million. However, the second bills have only been paid by 48% of people.

Irish Water says that this is due to customers missing bills.

“Almost 90% of those who paid the first bill also paid their second,” according to Elizabeth Arnett, Head of Communications and Corporate Affairs with Irish Water.

More than 150,000 additional households who had not made any payment during the first billing cycle began to pay water charges during the second billing cycle with many paying both bills together.

“Total payments received during the second billing cycle are 24% higher than during the first billing cycle. €30 million was paid in cycle one, €38.4 million in cycle two, giving a total of €68.4 million received to date.”

Read: Paul Murphy won’t stop talking about Irish Water – and it’s working