CO. WEXFORD has recorded the fourth highest percentage rate across the country in terms of compliance with the septic tank charge, according to the Co. Council.

Speaking to the New Ross Echo about the matter yesterday senior officials in the local authority said that “as of 8.30 a.m.” on Monday, 10,130 households had paid the €5 charge.

That figure represented the number of ‘processed’ applications and Senior Staff member, Annette O’Neill, said that equated to the “fourth highest percentage rate” in the country.

Ms. O’Neill, who is Head of Finance with the local authority, said the county’s overall rating “is likely to be higher” when all of the figures are calculated. She added that the number of houses required to pay the charge equated to 50 per cent of the tanks that are “known to be out there”.

According to figures presented to this newspaper by the local authority 26,267 households across the county are required to pay the charge. These relate to homes that use domestic waste water treatment systems and which do not discharge to mains sewerage systems.

“We have a good number of processed applications,” said Administrative Officer in the Local Charges Department, Ms. Dymphna O’Connor.

“That’s not taking into account the number of applications that haven’t been processed yet so the overall figure will probably be much higher,” she added.

Most of the applications were made online and according to Ms. O’Connor the ‘Protect Our Water Bureau’ in Dublin is also dealing with the applications.

As The Echo went to press €55,195 in charges had been received by the local authority which equated to around 6.18 per cent of the overall total which up to yesterday morning was €893085. It’s expected a more accurate finalised figure will be made available next week.

Any householders who failed to pay the charge will now be subjected to an increased figure of €50 as a result of penalties applied for late payment