SOUTH Dublin County Council was yesterday awarded 18 orders for disconnection against residents who have yet to pay water rates in the Templeogue, Drimnagh and Rathfarnham areas.
Over 40 cases against householders have also been adjourned to Rathfarnham District Court on February 1st.
At yesterday's special sitting arguments were mostly confined to the exact procedures which the council must follow in notifying, reminding and issuing final warnings to joint downers of households.
In cases of joint ownership, co owners must now be informed of all procedures. Where only one co owner has so far been notified, the council asked Judge Peter Smithwick if it would be adequate to send sample copies of all documents to the second co owner with a notice to pay within 14 days.
This would then be followed up with a reminder every seven, days, including a final notice, totalling 35 days in all.
Judge Smithwick told counsel for the local authority that as far as he was concerned, the only time constraint was between the issuing of first and second reminders which should, be a period of 14 days.
If court proceedings were to be taken, the council was informed that separate summonses should be issued to co owners of the house.
Householders who were served with disconnection orders yesterday have 14 days to appeal.