Critics of water charges are warning that Irish Water's latest plans for billing would still see half a million households hit with bills.

It's after the utility sent figures to TDs showing that around a third of households use more than 123 litres per person per day.

Meanwhile the energy regulator says the programme of installing water meters should be scrapped, with the money used elsewhere.

The Commission for Energy Regulation - which currently has the final say on any proposals around water charges - says the money should instead be invested into upgrading the general water network.

But several TDs say this undermines the report of the expert group on water charges, which has proposed to charge households who use water excessively.

They say such a system could not possibly be implemented if there were no meters there to gauge wasteful usage.

Our political correspondent Gavan Reilly filed this report for Today FM's National Lunchtime News: