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Huge water bills could cripple
sports clubs
22.07.08
Story: Inishowen Independent
MANY hard pressed sports clubs in Inishowen are to
be hit with massive water bills by Donegal County
Council over the next few weeks with some clubs set
to face bills running into several thousand euro.
In recent days the Council is understood to have
issued bills that have seen some clubs experience
increases in water charges of more than 2000%.
Carndonagh Football Club is one of the clubs
affected and having paid a fixed charge of €236 for
water in 2007, Carndonagh FC last week received its
metered bill for the first five months of 2008 - it
came to €2,214.95. The club has estimated that its
water bill will now top €5,500 in a calendar year. |
“The €2,214 bill came
as an awful shock,” said club chairman Albert
Doherty. “It’s very daunting to have to start the
season with such a big cost. The community gives us
tremendous support at all times, but the cost of
this bill is more than we’d raise in a good
fundraiser.”
A former county councillor, Doherty is seeking a
waiver scheme for |
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sports clubs, and
voluntary and community groups.
“I’m disappointed that county councillors have
overlooked this charge. Bills like this will
demoralise our volunteers who are already up to
their necks in fundraising.”
Donegal County Council says that it is bound by EU
regulations that require all non-domestic water
users to pay water charges based on actual metered
consumption. Heavy users will be billed monthly,
with lighter users being billed twice a year and
clubs that have not already done so, can expect to
receive their bills in the coming weeks.
However those bills are certain to cause waves of
discontent among local clubs who by and large depend
on a variety of fund raising activities just to keep
afloat.
“As with other clubs we have invested substantially
in providing top class facilities for the youth in
our area but now we’re being penalised for using
them,” Mr Doherty said.
“It’s a very serious development for not just our
club, but all clubs and voluntary and community
groups across the county,” he concluded.
Several other clubs contacted by the Inishowen
Independent had yet to receive their bills. However,
with water charges increasing by up to 2000%, the
clubs were unanimous in their view that such bills
would cripple them financially. |
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