Householders 'ignoring leaking septic tanks as they can't afford to replace them'
People who live outside the so-called ‘high risk’ areas, but who know their septic tanks are leaking, are not repairing or replacing them because they can’t get a grant as they can’t get inspected, county councillors have claimed. File picture
Thousands of septic tanks are likely to be leaking and causing unnecessary pollution all over the country due to an anomaly in inspections and grant-aid to repair them, councillors in Cork have claimed.
There are an estimated 500,000-plus septic tanks in the country, mostly in rural areas, and local authorities carry out a relatively small number of inspections on them each year.
Priority is given to inspections in areas where it is deemed leaking tanks may be a threat to underground water sources, rivers, streams etc.
To qualify for a grant to repair leaking tanks an inspection must first be carried out. On average 53% of those inspected failed the inspection. While many simply need to be desludged, others require significant repairs, or total replacement.
Cork County Council was only able to undertake 90 inspections in total in one year and on average it carries out no more than double that number annually – the same as most other local authorities.
People who live outside the so-called ‘high risk’ areas, but who know their septic tanks are leaking, are not repairing or replacing them because they can’t get a grant as they can’t get inspected, county councillors have claimed. It can cost up to €12,000 to have a tank replaced.
Cork County Council is to write to the Department of the Environment, which oversees the national inspections and grant aid, asking it to change the rules, after being told there are people who are stuck in limbo because their tanks aren’t getting inspected and can’t therefore apply for the maximum replacement grant of €5,000.
Fianna Fáil councillor, Ian Doyle, won support from colleagues when he pointed out the anomalies in the Department of Environment-run scheme and the needless pollution which is going on because of it.
He said the only fortunate change in the criteria coming from the department since its introduction is that now the grant aid isn’t means-tested.
However, he and other councillors pointed out that many elderly people living in rural areas cannot afford the €12,000 if they need to replace the tanks and are therefore doing nothing about them leaking.
Mr Doyle said the €5,000 maximum grant has to be increased, especially as construction costs are going through the roof.
Fine Gael councillor John Paul O’Shea, said he is aware of people in non-priority areas in Co. Cork who are not replacing their septic tanks because they can’t get a grant to defray the cost. He said he was aware other councillors “had a lot of contact from people” like this.
“I just cannot understand this. There are thousands of tanks malfunctioning. Anybody who has a serious problem should be allowed to apply to the Department of the Environment for a grant,” Fine Gael councillor Kevin Murphy said.
“Time and again constituents are coming to me and because they're outside the priority area nothing can be done,” Fianna Fáil councillor Gearoid Murphy said.
Fine Gael councillor, John O’Sullivan, said quite a lot of leaking tanks were owned by elderly householders who don’t have the money to replace them.
“People living in rural Ireland have been abandoned because they’re getting no help to upgrade them. Where people have an issue and put their hand up the State should be there to help them. The Minister for the Environment (Eamon Ryan) has to urgently review this,” Mr O’Sullivan said.
