High failure rate of septic tank inspections in Leitrim

Leitrim had one of the highest amounts of failed septic tank inspections last year, a recent report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) showed this week with just 57% of defects fixed; one of the lowest nationally.

However Leitrim County Council says this figures is now up to 65% and that they have highlighted issues around grant funding with the Government in order to improve grant take up by homeowners. 

Meanwhile, Water Forum (An Fóram Uisce) are calling on the Government to deliver a campaign to raise awareness around this issue after the EPA's report showed there are nearly half a million domestic wastewater treatment systems (DWWTS), mostly septic tanks, used by householders to treat sewage and half of those inspected have failed to meet environmental standards. 

The Water Forum said: "Septic tanks can contaminate household wells, gardens and bathing waters with harmful bacteria and viruses and can also release nitrogen and phosphorus that can cause pollution in rivers and other waters. Domestic wastewater is the sixth most significant pressure on water quality, polluting 188 rivers and other waters across Ireland with over half of the failures reported by the Local Authorities due to systems not being properly maintained or de-sludged." 

They are now calling on the Government and Local Authorities to "take a more proactive approach improving awareness of how septic tanks should be maintained and improving homeowner’s knowledge of how to identify signs of failure such as increased vegetation or ponding near the septic tank."

Dr Matt Crowe, Chairperson of the National Water Forum stated that: “This is not only an issue for water quality, but more importantly it is important for the health of homeowners and their families, so uptake of grants to remediate domestic wastewater systems should be promoted, encouraged and facilitated’."

The Water Forum also welcomed the approach of the new National Inspection Plan for septic tanks which is to focus inspections in areas where there is a risk to water quality or a risk to household wells, with an increased number of inspections per year. "The Water Forum have recommended that inspections should also be carried out on new septic tanks to ensure they are properly built or installed. Private wells located close to septic tanks should be registered and tested regularly to protect the health of families. Adequate resources need to be made available to Local Authorities to carry out this work."