A Sligo councillor says an expanded grant scheme for septic tank works will go a long way toward helping people who have to repair faulty sewerage systems.
Grants of up to €5,000 are available through the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government to fix domestic wastewater treatment facilities.
It follows an EPA report finding that half of domestic waste water treatment systems failed inspection in 2019.
Local authority inspections identified serious issues with nearly 300 systems that were found to be a risk to human health or the environment.
According to the EPA report, there are an estimated half a million septic tanks and other domestic waste water treatment systems in Ireland.
Half of the 1,160 septic tank systems inspected in 2019 failed.
27% of systems that failed inspections during 2013-2019 are still not fixed.
Independent Sligo Councillor Marie Casserly says the government’s expanded septic tank grant scheme will be a help to householders who have to do work.
