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Donegal commercial water bill tops
€11m
26.03.12
BUSINESSES in Co
Donegal are in arrears with their commercial water
rates to the tune of more than €11m, new figures
show.
Donegal County Council, which has launched a robust
collection campaign, said a total of €9.6m in water
rates was outstanding at the end of 2011. Meanwhile,
invoices totalling €1.6m were issued last week to
non-domestic users relating to consumption in 2011.
There are around 8,000 commercial users of water in
Co Donegal. Donegal County Council acting area
manager, Patricia McIntyre said around 200 of users
in arrears had been contacted in the last number of
months as part of a water charges collection
campaign. |
She said seven business
users had been disconnected to date with a "positive
response" from the majority of the others.
"Due to the positive response from the 200 customers
contacted, only seven disconnections have been
necessary. The majority of the remaining customers
have paid their account or have entered into payment
plans," said Ms McIntyre.
The local authority is currently operating a water
"disconnection schedule" that is being updated
weekly. Ms McIntyre said there were about 20 to 30
users on the disconnection schedule at any one time. |
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Payment of commercial water rates in
arrears by more than €11m. |
Donegal County Council
issued a public warning to businesses through the
local press last October. The local authority said
payment enforcement would continue for the
foreseeable future and it advised customers with
outstanding charges to make "immediate contact" to
avoid being added to the disconnection schedule.
The average outstanding arrears among non-domestic
users in the county is between €2,000 and €5,000.
The charge for 2012 includes a €150 standing charge
for the meter; a €500 fixed charge and €1.50 per
cubic meter of water used after a free allowance of
50,000 gallons. |
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