Last summer, a severe drought made such an indelible impression on farmers that many are taking steps to prevent a recurrence of water shortages.

This led to an increase in requests for drilling wells from farmers, with some considering the installation of a second well on the farm as a backup. In other cases, farmers who have been hit by a limited supply of water tend to increase production from existing wells.

On average, it usually costs between 5,500 and 6,000 euros to deepen and equip a well that can provide enough water for a dairy farm per 100 cows. In most Irish farms, you can find a source of water, but there are certain areas where a well indentation can cause certain difficulties. Typically, the drilling depth for a new farm well is at least 60 meters, however, in more complex areas, the drilling depth can reach 100-120 m.

Payments for domestic water were introduced in Ireland back in 2015, but after countless protests and political negotiations, the charges were soon suspended. Now there are no current household payments for the “normal” use of water, but any family using the amount of water over the established threshold will pay. The standard indicator of water consumption is 213,000 liters per year, which is equivalent to 583 liters per day.

The Irish Energy Regulatory Commission's data on household water use show that the average water consumption by a four-person household in Ireland is 125,000 liters per year, so the threshold is about 1.7 times that.