Alex McGarel, Freshwater Policy Officer at WWF Northern Ireland, says, "It is deeply disappointing that metering for water has been ruled out in the short term. Water is a valuable resource for people and nature and this should be recognised. If people are economical with their water use then they should save money. They should also be able to see how much water they use. What incentive is there for people to be efficient with their water use now?"

"European legislation requires member states to promote the efficient use of water by their customers. It seems that this has been lost in the politics of water in Northern Ireland."