Only 20% register septic tanks
The registration fee for domestic waste water treatment systems - including septic tanks - rises after today (Friday, September 28) from just €5 to €50. However, figures obtained by the Offaly Independent show that as of yesterday (Thursday) only something in the region of 20% of Offaly systems have been registered to date. According to Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures there are 9,731 individual septic tanks in Offaly. A further 1,315 individual treatment systems other than septic tanks takes the total number of domestic waste water treatment systems in the county to an estimated 11,046. However, yesterday only 2,195 of those had been registered according to the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA). That figure, which equates to just under 20 %, has jumped somewhat in the past number of days. Last Tuesday recorded registrations for Offaly stood at just 1,693. It should be noted that figures supplied by the LGMA do not include registrations that have yet to be processed at its central bureau or those in hand at local authorities. Earlier this week the number of yet to be processed registrations nationwide was put at 35,300. The requirement to register individual waste water treatment systems stems from the water services (amendment) act 2012, which introduces a new registration and inspection system for treatment systems. Inspections under the new system are to commence in 2013, with all systems to be registered by the beginning of next year. Speaking this week Offaly Fine Gael TD Marcella Corcoran Kennedy urged Offalians who have yet to register their treatment system to do so. "We must introduce inspections in order to improve water quality and in order to avoid large fines from Europe," she said, adding that it's "vitally important" that all septic tanks are registered before a risk-based system of inspection begins next year. Registrations can be carried out online at www.protectourwater.ie, by post to Protect Our Water, PO Box 12204, Dublin 7 or at local authority offices.