Close to half of septic tanks in Ireland failed at an inspection last year with the EPA warning that “failure to fix faulty tanks is a a risk to human health and the environment and can’t continue.”
Local authorities completed 1,189 septic tank inspections in 2023, 45 per cent failed because they were not built or maintained properly.
Dr Tom Ryan, Director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement said faulty septic tanks are a health hazard.
“The EPA, through the National Inspection Plan, has identified rivers and areas where household drinking water wells are most at risk of contamination by faulty septic tanks. Local authority inspections are targeted in these areas.
"It is critical that householders protect their family’s health and the environment by fixing the problems identified, drawing on the enhanced grants now available.”
Where septic tanks fail inspection, local authorities issue advisory notices to householders setting out what is required to fix the problem.
The EPA report found that there were 576 cases where issues notified to householders over two years previously had still not been addressed.
The grant schemes for the remediation of septic tanks were changed at the start of 2024 to increase the amount from €5,000 to €12,000 and remove the requirement to have registered the septic tank in 2013.
'Significant opportunity'
The EPA said this presents a “significant opportunity” for householders to fix their septic tanks and resolve open advisory notices.
Noel Byrne, EPA Programme Manager said that it is “unacceptable” that the number of septic tanks left ‘un-fixed’ for more than two years continues to rise.
“Greater enforcement is needed by local authorities to ensure failed systems are fixed. Where faulty septic tanks are not being fixed, particularly given the availability of the enhanced grant scheme, local authorities need
to use their enforcement powers to protect the environment and public health.”
The EPA’s National Inspection Plan has identified the number of inspections that need to be completed, particularly near rivers and in areas where septic tanks are co-located with household drinking water wells. Local authorities are required to complete a minimum of 1,200 inspections annually as part of their implementation of the plan.
The National Inspection Plan for Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems 2022 -2026 was published by the EPA in 2021. The plan requires a minimum of 1,200 inspections from 2023 onwards.
There was a shortfall in inspections by five local authorities in 2023.
The EPA issued legal directions to make up for shortfalls in inspections by Waterford County Council in 2022 and to Galway County Council in 2023.
By Olivia Kelleher
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