Council may have to privatise refuse service

WITH thousands of householders countywide continuing to resist payment of the controversial €150 annual flat charge introduced this year for refuse collection by Waterford County Council, the cash-strapped local authority may be forced into privatising the service.

About 11,000 customers are needed by the council to enable it to provide the service on a break-even basis. However, following the decision of county manager Ray O’Dwyer to impose the new €150 annual flat charge on households this year resistance to the charge spread.

Apart from those who are refusing steadfastly to pay the charge, many other householders have switched to private operators. As a consequence the number of council customers has dropped to little more than 6,000, a figure that would result in a substantial financial loss on the service.