(LRC Revised)

Number 6 of 2013

WATER SERVICES ACT 2013

REVISED

Updated to 1 January 2023

Changes to legislation

as of 10 July 2026, this Act is up to date with all changes known to be in force.

This Revised Act is an administrative consolidation of the

Water Services Act 2013

. It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under

the

Law Reform Commission Act 1975

(3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and consolidation

of statute law.

All Acts up to and including the

Local Government (Maternity

Protection and Other Measures for Members of Local Authorities) Act 2022

(52/2022), enacted 21 December 2022, and all statutory instruments up to and including

the

Planning And Development And Foreshore (Amendment) Act 2022 (Commencement) Order

2023

(S.I. No. 1 of 2023), made 9 January 2023, were considered in the

preparation of this Revised Act.

Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this Revised Act,

the Law Reform Commission can assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees,

undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up to date nature

of the information provided and does not accept any liability whatsoever arising from

any errors or omissions. Please notify any errors, omissions and comments by email

to

revisedacts@lawreform.ie.

Number

6

of

2013

WATER SERVICES ACT 2013

REVISED

Updated to 1 January

2023

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

PART 1

Preliminary and General

Section

1. Short title and commencement.

2. Definitions.

3. Expenses.

PART 2

Subsidiary Company

4. Formation of company.

5. Name and share capital of subsidiary.

6. Memorandum and articles of association of subsidiary.

6A. Board of Uisce Éireann

6B. Chief

Executive Officer

7. Disqualification for office of director of subsidiary.

8. Membership of either House of Oireachtas or European Parliament.

9. Disclosure of interests by directors of subsidiary.

10. Disclosure of interests by members of staff of subsidiary.

11. Disclosure of confidential information.

12. Borrowing by

Board and subsidiary.

(Repealed)

13. Guarantee of

borrowings of Board and subsidiary.

(Repealed)

14. Provision of

moneys for payments out of Central Fund.

(Repealed)

15. Grants by Minister.

16. Subsidiary’s capital commitments.

17. Accounts of

subsidiary.

(Repealed)

17A. Financial year.

17B. Preparation and audit of statutory financial statements.

17C. Appointment of statutory auditor or firm.

17D. Annual report.

17E. Presentation of financial statements and reports.

18. Annual

report of subsidiary.

(Repealed)

18AA.

Accountability to Committee of Public Accounts.

18A.

Superannuation.

PART 3

Installation of Water Meters

19. Definition.

20. Performance

of certain functions by metering authorities.

(Repealed)

21. Installation of pipes.

22. Ownership of water meters.

23. Immunity.

PART 4

Miscellaneous

24. Performance of functions generally.

25. Performance of functions preparatory to conferral of water services functions.

26. Provision of information to Board and subsidiary.

27. Performance of functions by Commission.

28. Amendment of

section 105 of Act of 2007.

(Repealed)

29. Amendment of Local Government (Financial Provisions) (No. 2) Act 1983.

30. Accounts of Board.

31. Annual

report of Board.

(Repealed)

32. Directions of Minister.

Acts Referred to

Companies Act 1963

1963, No. 33

Companies Act 1990

1990, No. 33

Companies Acts

Companies (Amendment) Act 1983

1983, No. 13

Companies (Amendment) Act 2009

2009, No. 20

Electricity Regulation Act 1999

1999, No. 23

Ethics in Public Office Act 1995

1995, No. 22

European Parliament Elections Act 1997

1997, No. 2

Gas Act 1976

1976, No. 30

Gas (Interim) (Regulation) Act 2002

2002, No. 10

Local Government Act 2001

2001, No. 37

Local Government (Financial Provisions) (No. 2) Act 1983

1983, No. 21

Local Government (Financial Provisions) Act 1997

1997, No. 29

Planning and Development Act 2000

2000, No. 30

Property Services Regulation Act 2011

2011, No. 40

Residential Tenancies Act 2004

2004, No. 27

Water Services Act 2007

2007, No. 30

Number

6

of

2013

WATER SERVICES ACT 2013

REVISED

Updated to 1 January

2023

AN ACT TO MAKE PROVISION IN

RELATION TO THE INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE OF WATER METERS IN DWELLINGS; FOR THAT

PURPOSE

TO PROVIDE FOR THE FORMATION OF A SUBSIDIARY COMPANY BY BORD GÁIS ÉIREANN AND

THE PERFORMANCE OF CERTAIN FUNCTIONS UNDER THE WATER SERVICES ACT 2007 BY BORD GÁIS

ÉIREANN AND THAT SUBSIDIARY COMPANY; TO AMEND THE GAS ACT 1976 AND THE WATER

SERVICES ACT 2007; TO PROVIDE FOR THE COLLECTION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY BORD GÁIS

ÉIREANN AND THAT SUBSIDIARY COMPANY; AND TO PROVIDE FOR MATTERS CONNECTED

THEREWITH.

[20

th March

, 2013]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS

Annotations

Modifications (not altering

text)

C1

Name Irish Water construed

(16.12.2022 with effect from 31.12.2022) by

Water Services (Amendment) Act

2022

(39/2022), s. 5(1), (2)(a), S.I. No. 678 of 2022, art. 3(b). See also

Water Services (Amendment) Act 2022 (Appointed Day) Order 2022

(S.I. No.

682 of 2022).

Change of Name of Irish

Water

5.

(1) The company known in the Irish language as Uisce Éireann and in the

English language as Irish Water shall, on and from the day immediately before the

appointed day, be known only as its name in the Irish language, Uisce Éireann.

(2) On and from the day

specified in

subsection (1)

—

(a) references in any

enactment, legal proceedings or other document to Irish Water shall be construed

as references to Uisce Éireann only, and

...

Annotations

Modifications (not altering

text)

C1

Name Irish Water construed

(16.12.2022 with effect from 31.12.2022) by

Water Services (Amendment) Act

2022

(39/2022), s. 5(1), (2)(a), S.I. No. 678 of 2022, art. 3(b). See also

Water Services (Amendment) Act 2022 (Appointed Day) Order 2022

(S.I. No.

682 of 2022).

Change of Name of Irish

Water

5.

(1) The company known in the Irish language as Uisce Éireann and in the

English language as Irish Water shall, on and from the day immediately before the

appointed day, be known only as its name in the Irish language, Uisce Éireann.

(2) On and from the day

specified in

subsection (1)

—

(a) references in any

enactment, legal proceedings or other document to Irish Water shall be construed

as references to Uisce Éireann only, and

...

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

PART 1

Preliminary and General

Section

1. Short title and commencement.

2. Definitions.

3. Expenses.

PART 2

Subsidiary Company

4. Formation of company.

5. Name and share capital of subsidiary.

6. Memorandum and articles of association of subsidiary.

6A. Board of Uisce Éireann

6B. Chief

Executive Officer

7. Disqualification for office of director of subsidiary.

8. Membership of either House of Oireachtas or European Parliament.

9. Disclosure of interests by directors of subsidiary.

10. Disclosure of interests by members of staff of subsidiary.

11. Disclosure of confidential information.

12. Borrowing by

Board and subsidiary.

(Repealed)

13. Guarantee of

borrowings of Board and subsidiary.

(Repealed)

14. Provision of

moneys for payments out of Central Fund.

(Repealed)

15. Grants by Minister.

16. Subsidiary’s capital commitments.

17. Accounts of

subsidiary.

(Repealed)

17A. Financial year.

17B. Preparation and audit of statutory financial statements.

17C. Appointment of statutory auditor or firm.

17D. Annual report.

17E. Presentation of financial statements and reports.

18. Annual

report of subsidiary.

(Repealed)

18AA.

Accountability to Committee of Public Accounts.

18A.

Superannuation.

PART 3

Installation of Water Meters

19. Definition.

20. Performance

of certain functions by metering authorities.

(Repealed)

21. Installation of pipes.

22. Ownership of water meters.

23. Immunity.

PART 4

Miscellaneous

24. Performance of functions generally.

25. Performance of functions preparatory to conferral of water services functions.

26. Provision of information to Board and subsidiary.

27. Performance of functions by Commission.

28. Amendment of

section 105 of Act of 2007.

(Repealed)

29. Amendment of Local Government (Financial Provisions) (No. 2) Act 1983.

30. Accounts of Board.

31. Annual

report of Board.

(Repealed)

32. Directions of Minister.

Number

6

of

2013