LOCAL authorities are to continue to pursue householders who have not paid water and sewerage charges, despite this week's announcement that the charges are to be abolished from January 1st, 1997.
According to a spokesman for the Department of the Environment, £20-£25 million is still out standing in arrears from previous years. He confirmed that all outstanding charges were still due and would be pursued. Domestic' water and sewerage charges raise £53 million annually for local authorities.
A survey of more than 23 local authorities yesterday by The Irish Times showed that only two, would be waiting for formal notification from the Department of the Environment that outstanding payments were still due.
"Anybody who owes us money will be pursued to the end to protect the people who have paid us," said a spokesman for Galway County Council. "I have a moral obligation to protect the interests, of people who have paid. We intend to enforce the collection of outstanding charges through all the means available to us.
Galway County Council and Galway Corporation have some of the highest payment rates in the State, with an estimated 90 per cent of those liable for water charges in the county council's areas paying their debts, totalling" £2 million. Galway Corporation has a payment rate of 95-97 per cent.
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council had a 90 per cent payment rate, amounting to about £3.3 million. "Arrears are collectable and should be pursued, and they will be pursued," said a council spokesman.
Fingal County Council, which has a 77 per cent payment rate, totalling £2.6 million, also said it would be pursuing defaulters. The council has more than 400 cases listed for court and they will be coming up in the new year.
Elsewhere Carlow County Council, which has a 65-70 per cent payment rate, said it would continue to pursue arrears. Longford County Council and Waterford Corporation, both of which estimated payment rates of 60 per cent, also indicated that they would continue to pursue arrears.
But one county council representative expressed doubts about the effectiveness of efforts to persuade people to pay outstanding debts on a charge which had now been abolished.
"It is our intention to pursue arrears, but how effective that pursuit will be remains to be Seen," he said. "People may feel that they are paying for a charge that doesn't exist any more and that could create problems.