CRU Approves Regulatory Framework for Record Investment in Ireland’s Water and Wastewater Services

The Regulatory Framework sets down the baseline of investment of €13.6bn that Uisce Éireann must deliver on – and incentivises the utility to deliver against the ambitious and achievable targets set by the CRU.

This investment period, outlined in CRU’s Revenue Control Four, will see Uisce Éireann progress in a period of unprecedented infrastructure delivery, building on the significant progress that has been made during the last investment period.

The CRU has concluded a comprehensive economic and technical assessment of Uisce Éireann’s investment plans for the water and wastewater networks.

Alongside upgrading existing assets and developing new water and wastewater infrastructure, Uisce Éireann is investing in the security and sustainability of the network. RC4 is critical to address legacy constraints, meet growing demand and strengthen resilience to climate change.

The total regulated allowed revenue for this 5-year regulatory period is €13.6 bn which includes €8.56 bn in capex, and €5.06 bn in opex.

While this represents a 51% increase over RC3, the CRU has also required Uisce Éireann to deliver against a baseline €300 million ‘do more’ challenge and an 8% reduction in controllable operating costs by 2029 to reinforce efficiency and value for customers.

The agile nature of the regulatory framework will also allow the investment to be scaled up as required in line with additional funding to be provided through the National Development Plan to support the government's housing targets.

The RC4 period also coincides with the completion of Uisce Éireann’s transition to a fully integrated national utility by the end of 2026, creating a stronger national utility for long-term investment and service improvement.

RC4 will bring a range of customer benefits up to 2029, including:

• 163 new and upgraded water treatment plants and 61 wastewater treatment plants
• 126 km of additional water network capacity and 113 km of wastewater networks
• Rehabilitation of 639 km of water mains and 34 km of sewer networks
• An additional 43 megalitres per day of water treatment capacity
• Capacity upgrades at 57 wastewater treatment plants
• 118 new and upgraded pumping stations

The RC4 framework includes 39 capital delivery obligations and 34 performance metrics to link this record investment to measurable outcomes for households, businesses and communities. The CRU has strengthened monitoring, reporting and performance requirements to ensure Uisce Éireann delivers the full programme, meets targets and provides value for money for customers.

The CRU will strengthen its oversight through annual monitoring of the 39 core delivery obligations, quarterly updates on priority and major projects including the Water Supply Project and the Greater Dublin Drainage project. These projects will be critical to supporting growth in high-demand areas, strengthening resilience, and maintaining service levels as the country’s infrastructure needs continue to evolve.

The RC4 framework will also provide enhanced reporting on performance, leakage, security of supply and wastewater investment.

Customer Impact and Value for Money

Domestic water and wastewater services will continue to be funded by the Exchequer, while non-domestic charges will reflect the proportionate cost of essential investment in water infrastructure.

In the interest of protecting water customers, the CRU aims to ensure that only efficiently incurred costs are passed to the customer. Given the scale of the increase in funding under RC4, the CRU has decided to phase revenue recovery over the remainder of the control period to provide a more manageable and predictable path for non-domestic customers. This will result in an average annual increase of 9.4% over the period.

The CRU will monitor Uisce Éireann’s delivery to ensure customers’ money is spent responsibly and that improvements are made to vital services to support urgent improvements in capacity, compliance, and resilience, while ensuring strong regulatory oversight, clear accountability, and value for money as delivery progresses.

Speaking today, Fergal Mulligan, Chairperson at the CRU said: 

“This is a landmark decision for Ireland’s water sector and a major step forward in securing the infrastructure needed to support communities, homes and economic growth. For customers, this investment means more reliable services, stronger resilience and the capacity needed to support Ireland’s future development. In the period up to 2029, it can deliver a real step change in water and wastewater services, while helping to address long-standing infrastructure needs across the country. This unprecedented investment is underpinned by a stronger regulatory framework to ensure the funding is used well and delivers real improvements for customers. Under RC4, Uisce Éireann will be required to meet its 39 core delivery obligations, keep priority projects on track and demonstrate measurable progress against targets.”

Read the full decision here: Revenue Control 4 Final Determination | CRU.ie