Over half of septic tanks failed inspections in 2024 - EPA

James Cox

Over half of septic tank inspections failed in 2024, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Local authorities completed 1,390 septic tank inspections in 2024, targeted near rivers and household drinking water wells which are most at risk of contamination by faulty septic tanks.

Over half (56 per cent) of septic tanks failed inspection. "It is critically important that householders maintain their septic tanks as such failures have the potential to be a risk to their family’s health and the environment," the EPA said.

Domestic waste water treatment systems, mostly septic tanks, are used by householders to treat sewage. There are nearly half a million systems in Ireland.

When septic tanks fail inspection, local authorities issue advisory notices to householders setting out what is required to fix the problem.

The EPA report found that 82 per cent of septic tanks that failed during 2013–2024 were fixed, up from 75 per cent at the end of 2021.

The number of advisory notices open more than two years decreased for the first time, from 576 at the end of 2023 to 523 at the end of 2024.

Dr Micheál Lehane, director of the EPA’s Office of Radiation Protection and Environmental Monitoring, said: “The reduction in the number of old advisory notices (over two years) is to be welcomed, however, the number not resolved remains unacceptably high, allowing risks to public health and the environment to continue. Greater and sustained enforcement effort is needed by local authorities during their annual septic tank inspections, checking that faulty septic tanks are fixed and taking legal action where necessary.”

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

There were 265 grants awarded in 2024, totalling nearly €2.5 million, up from 194 grants in 2023.