Water Services Training Group
17th Annual Conference
Creating a new Irish
Water Industry
INEC, Killarney, 5th September 2013
1
Creating a new Irish Water
Industry
Irish Water- Domestic Metering
Programme Update
Fergus Collins,
Project Manager
INTRODUCTION TO THE
METERING PROGRAMME
Metering Programme 2013
Metering Programme 2013
North-East:
Coffey/
Northumbrian
Ltd
NorthWest:
GMC|
Sierra Ltd
West:
J Murphy
& Sons
Ltd
Dublin County:
Farrans Construction
Dublin City:
GMC|Sierra Ltd
Midlands:
GMC|Sierra Ltd
South- West:
J Murphy &
Sons Ltd
South-East:
GMC|Sierra Ltd
Metering Programme Scope
In Scope
 Programme for Government (March 2011) set an objective to “install water
meters in every household in Ireland and to move to a charging system that is
based on use above a free allowance.”
 Phase 1 of the Irish Water Meter Programme is tasked with the installation
of up to 1.05m meters on domestic properties that have a dedicated public
water supply by December 2016.
 Installation involves placement of a single concentric (screw-in) water meter
with AMR in an external boundary box at each domestic property in Ireland
with the following exceptions:
• All properties in apartment
blocks
• All properties in ‘Gated
Communities’
• Any properties in ‘Ghost
Estates’
• Non Domestic
• Mixed Non Domestic /Domestic
•
•
•
•
•
Use
Private Group Schemes
Public Group Schemes
Back yard Services
Shared Supply
Connection inaccessible
• Defective Supply Pipe
• Derelict
• Under Construction
• Unsuitable Ground
• Low Pressure
• Private Wells
• Works in specialist paving*
Phase 1 Metering Programme
What can be done
Phase 1 Programme Current Scope




Metering of Domestic Households only
External water meters only – in public accessible land
Irish Water own the meter/radio asset
Meter serial number is a legal billing requirement
Irish Water have powers to install and maintain the boundary box/meter/radio
Customer can access boundary box



Read meter
Operate OSV
Cannot remove meter or radio unit
What will it NOT involve
The Metering Project Phase 1 is very specific to domestic customers
Local Authorities will continue to be responsible up to January 2014 for:
 Water Quality
 Water Pressure
 Maintenance of Water Network, etc.
The project will not involve extensive footpath or road surface repairs or works
inside homes.
Engagement &
Communications
Engagement Tools
Metering Team- Operational communications with LAs
 Road Opening Protocol
 Stakeholder & Communications Manager for MP (On site escalation/
programme update/ planning/ messaging)
External Communications Team- Elected Members, Media and interested
groups
 Regional Communications Team
 PR and Media Strategy
Customer Team- General Public
 Metering Customer Communications Packs
 Above the Line Advertising campaign
 Regional Advertising
 Website
Road Opening Protocol
• Compiled by the CCMA and the DECLG
• Issued to all County Managers and Directors of Service (Roads and
Water)
• Sets out the framework for operational liaison for the IW metering
programme with Local Authorities
• Contact via Regional Managers is made with the LA 2 months prior
to works commencing in their area (this will extend to 3 months from
September)
• This protocol looks at (not an exclusive list)
-
Planned works
Events
Burst histories
Traffic Management
Moratorium on Pavements
Communications with LA on ongoing basis
Traffic Management Information
Customer Communications in support of
the Meter Installation Programme
There are a range of customer communications in support of the Meter Installation
Programme:
•
Irish Water Website – website to launch in advance of the meter installation
commencing. Website will contain a range of customer information on metering
and the programme, as well as contact details for Irish Water
Website is live: www.water.ie
•
Direct customer communications – there are a series of customer leaflets
and cards which will be delivered directly to houses scheduled for a meter box
and water meter installation
o
o
o
Pack 1 – will be delivered at least 14 days in advance of the installation
Pack 2 – will be delivered at least 2 days in advance of the installation
Cards – a range of cards have been developed for use by the installers at the time of the
installation in response to difference events
Packs issuing to customers from 25th July
•
Regional Press – there will be press ads placed in local newspapers in support
of the meter installation programme in that area.
Press ads appearing in chosen local titles from week commencing 22 nd July
Customer Communications in support of
the Meter Installation Programme
Customer Leaflets
Pack 1 – delivered to homes scheduled for
meter installation at least 14 days in
advance
Pack 2 – delivered to homes scheduled for
meter installation at least 2 days in
advance
Customer Cards
Cards – to be used by the meter installers in response to instances occurring during the
installation e.g.
• Customer not at home so unable to prove supply
• Metering installation postponed
• Installation begun but not completed on same day
Quality
Key Performance Indicators
Audits on the following will be carried out by Irish Water Staff:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
HSQE Inspection score
Safety
Quality – Corrective Action Response Time
Environmental
Compliance with programme
Complaints management
Report of Incidents
Customer Satisfaction
Data Returns
AMR Signal reads
Permanent Reinstatement and Site Clearance
Contractor Resources
Training
Social Inclusion
Compliance with Employers Claims Handling protocol
Contractor Management Response
Training
• All Contractor staff are required to undertake the following training:
- Metering Induction
- Safe Pass
- Manual Handling
- CSCS Signing Lighting & Guarding
- CSCS H&S at Roadworks
• Contractor staff that are installing Boundary Box/Meters and Irish Water metering
field staff have to undertake the Training Course developed by the WSTG with
Irish Water.
• Training as a KPI - Irish Water will be carrying out audits to ensure that these
training requirements are met.
Meters and
Boundary Boxes
Framework Agreements
Framework agreements have been signed for the following:
• Meters
• Boundary Boxes; and
• Meter fittings
Two types of meter:
• Itron Meter
• Diehl Meter
Two types of Boundary Box:
• Talbot Matrix
• Ebco
LA Survey Update
C A R LO W C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
15 8 6 8
LIM E R IC K C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
C A V A N C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
10 8 7 0
LO N G F O R D C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
C LA R E C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
15 7 8 0
LO UT H C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
22271
C O R K C IT Y C O UN C IL
17 19 0
M A Y O C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
2 5 12 6
C O R K C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
7 3 18 9
M E A T H C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
50842
D O N E G A L C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
19 2 4 1
M O N A G H A N C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
D UB LIN C IT Y C O UN C IL
5 9 0 10
N O R T H T IP P E R A R Y C O UN T Y
C O UN C IL
2 16 0 8
D UN LA O G H A IR E - R A T H D O WN
C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
3 2 0 11
O F F A LY C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
14 6 13
R O S C O M M O N C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
10 3 9 2
S LIG O C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
10 4 6 3
F IN G A L C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
65828
G A LWA Y C IT Y C O UN C IL
10 5 9 4
G A LWA Y C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
19 19 1
KE R R Y C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
39868
KILD A R E C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
44076
KILKE N N Y C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
20439
LA O IS C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
22772
LE IT R IM C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
5969
LIM E R IC K C IT Y C O UN C IL
16 5 15
Total
S O UT H D UB LIN C O UN T Y
C O UN C IL
S O UT H T IP P E R A R Y C O UN T Y
C O UN C IL
37772
7641
9 13 3
43960
15 3 5 2
WA T E R F O R D C IT Y C O UN C IL
18 9 6 8
WA T E R F O R D C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
19 8 9 7
WE S T M E A T H C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
18 3 9 1
WE X F O R D C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
35640
WIC KLO W C O UN T Y C O UN C IL
35950
886,430
The metering programme
• Under the delivery plan, the country has been subdivided into 8 regions, each comprising approximately
125k planned installation points.
• 8 regional contracts have been awarded and 4
Regional Contractors (RCs) have been appointed to
date.
• GMC/Sierra Limited; J Murphy & Sons Limited; Coffey
Northumbrian Limited; and Farrans Construction
• In the first three months, water meters will be installed
in Kildare, moving swiftly to Kerry, Meath, Wexford,
Dublin City, Limerick, Mayo and Fingal.
• Over 1 million meters will be installed between July
2014 and Dec 2016