Kildare Nationalist – Nearly half of septic tanks tested failed 2023 inspections

Olivia Kelleher

Nearly half of Ireland’s septic tanks failed inspection last year, with the EPA warning that “failure to repair defective tanks poses a risk to human health and the environment and cannot continue.”

Local governments conducted 1,189 septic tank inspections in 2023, 45 percent of which failed because they were not properly constructed or maintained.

Dr. Tom Ryan, director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement, said defective septic tanks pose a health hazard.

“The EPA, through the National Inspection Plan, has identified rivers and areas where household drinking water wells are at greatest risk of contamination from defective septic tanks. Local government inspections focus on these areas.

“It is vital that householders protect the health of their families and the environment by solving the identified problems, taking advantage of the enhanced subsidies now available.”

When septic tanks fail inspection, local authorities issue advice to residents, outlining what is needed to resolve the problem.

The EPA report found that there were 576 cases in which problems reported to householders more than two years earlier had still not been resolved.

At the beginning of 2024, the subsidy schemes for the remediation of septic tanks were changed to increase the amount from €5,000 to €12,000 and to remove the requirement to have the septic tank registered in 2013.

The EPA said this provides an “important opportunity” for householders to repair their septic tanks and resolve outstanding advisory notices.

Noel Byrne, EPA program manager, said it is “unacceptable” that the number of septic tanks that have been ‘unrepaired’ for more than two years continues to rise.

“More enforcement is needed by local authorities to ensure faulty systems are repaired. Where faulty septic tanks are not repaired, especially given the availability of the extended grant scheme, local authorities require this
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 should be conducted, especially near rivers and in areas where septic tanks are located next to household drinking water wells. Local governments are required to conduct a minimum of 1,200 inspections annually as part of implementing the plan.

In 2021, the National Inspection Plan for Domestic Wastewater Treatment Systems 2022-2026 was published by the EPA. The plan calls for at least 1,200 inspections from 2023.

In 2023, there was a shortage of inspections by five municipalities.

The EPA has issued legal directions to make up for shortcomings in inspections by Waterford County Council in 2022 and Galway County Council in 2023.