Is the Water Supply in Ireland a Joke?

Facts did a fairly recent video online which takes a sarcastic approach to the issues Ireland has been having with public water supply. The video shows the various ways that not having water truly effects typical households. Even though the reel makes light of things, the situation is actually crucial for some.

Watch below as you encounter several people distraught at not having running water in their homes. Facts did this video as an ironic appeal to donate water for charity to people in need. The reality is, however, that some people may actually need the help.

In 2010, there was a government bailout for Ireland. The debt amassed was pivotal in that one of the stipulations of that aide was that Ireland would no longer have free water.  Off hand, I think that Ireland was quite fortunate indeed that they were ever provided this resource for no cost.

In fact, public policy on this issue is debatable in other parts of the world like France and the Netherlands. In Europe, analysts have compared the idea of metered water versus free supply. Most admit the cost of metering every household is not economically feasible to justify itemizing the amount of water used. Therefore, most areas use a joint meter. And yes, you guessed it; that means you are paying for other people’s consumption for the sake of conserving assets.

Yet in other areas like Delhi, the citizens are provided for seven-hundred liters of water per day, per household for free. Granted it is much hotter in that part of the globe and the population of Delhi alone is nearly two times that of Ireland. A whopping 10 million people are allocated this resource in Delhi.

Still, it has been suggested that people who are poor should at the very least be offered free water. After all, water is required to maintain health, cleanliness and life as we know it. It is not like fast-food or a gym membership. Sadly, in parts of Ireland even when the water was free, it was still contaminated and not suitable for drinking. I suppose that is a double-edged sword. Yes, it is great to get the supply for free, but one would need to be very cautious when or if using it.

Therefore, many people have acquiesced to buying bottled water for their needs. The other option is illness or hardship. And still some people are unable to pay for the charge to accommodate their household’s use. Whatever the reason it was decided to start charging for water in Ireland, I’m sure it was started with well intentions. That note aside, it has given some people little to no choice on how to proceed. In the long run, it seems that the bailout led to increased cost of living in some form to most of the people who reside in Ireland. And that means that added price comes in the form of sickness, deprivation or bottle supply.