The Government has announced a grant scheme to provide financial assistance to households whose septic tanks and other domestic waste water treatment systems, require remediation or upgrading following inspection under the Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012.
Inspections are expected to commence in 2013 and will be based on a national inspection plan currently being finalised by the Environmental Protection Agency. All domestic septic tanks and other waste water systems should be registered not later than 1st February 2013 on www.ProtectOurWater.ie or by post or in local authority offices. Waste water systems that that have not been registered by 1st February will also be subject to inspection.
Phil Hogan TD, Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, comments: “While the majority of septic tanks may be working well, and in those cases the householders should have nothing to worry about, those tanks that are not working properly may be polluting groundwater and contaminating our drinking water supplies and must be remediated. No one better understands the risks associated with malfunctioning on-site waste water treatment systems than the people who live in close proximity to them and source their drinking water from their own wells or from their local group water scheme. The key objective of this legislation is to enhance and protect public health and the environment which will, in turn, benefit rural dwellers in terms of a better quality of life and better quality water.”
A strict condition of eligibility for grant aid will be that the householder has registered their system by the prescribed date of 1 February 2013. To date 290,000 people (58%) have registered their systems. Census 2011 indicates that there are about 497,000 septic tanks and similar systems in Ireland.
The grant assistance will only be available to householders whose systems have been inspected by their local authority and are found to be in need of remediation.
The Government is also increasing the grant for Group Sewerage Schemes to €6,500 per house or 75% of the cost of the scheme, whichever is the lesser. The current rate of grant available for group sewerage schemes is €2,031.58 per house or 75