Irish Water has moved to defend it's handling of unpaid bills.
A spokesperson has confirmed it's begun the process of proactively contacting people who have an outstanding balance on their account.
However the utility says it's untrue to suggest that customers have been contacted based on their age profile. In recent weeks Irish Water has confirmed just 50 per cent of bills have been paid.
It says the process is being conducted within strict guidelines set out by the regulator.
