NEARLY HALF OF septic tanks that were inspected last year failed the inspection, according to new figures from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Local authorities conducted 1,189 septic tank inspections in 2023, with a failure rate of 45%, mostly because the tanks were either not built or not maintained properly.

The EPA has warned that enforcement by local authorities is inconsistent and needs to improve. 

“Faulty septic tanks are a risk to human health and the environment and must be fixed,” said Director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement Dr Tom Ryan.

“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,” Dr Ryan said.

“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.”

There are nearly half a million domestic waste water treatment systems around Ireland, most of them septic tanks.

Local authorities are required to inspect a minimum of 1,200 septic tanks each year under the EPA’s National Inspection Plan 2022-2026, which highlighted a need in particular to conduct inspections near rivers and where septic tanks are co-located with household drinking water wells.

If a septic tank fails inspection, the local authority issues an advisory notice to householders outlining what is required to fix the problem.

However, the EPA has identified 576 outstanding cases over two years where issues notified to householders have still not been addressed. 

Grants of up to €12,000 are available for remediation of septic tanks.

Louth, Fingal, Wicklow, Carlow, South Dublin, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, and Cork County all fixed 90% or more of failures by the end of 2023.

Waterford, Cork city, Roscommon and Kilkenny performed the worst, with just 45%, 50%, 57% and 57% of failures fixed respectively.

EPA Programme Manager Noel Byrne said it is “unacceptable” that the number septic tanks left un-fixed for more than two years has continued 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,” Byrne said.