High septic tank failure rate in Offaly but inspections were few

Half of the septic tanks tested in Offaly last year failed inspection.

However, only four septic tanks were tested by Offaly County Council last year, less than a quarter of the 18 number of inspections required.

The figures emerged as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a report on Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems Inspections in 2021.

The EPA said Offaly County Council had reported that it would make this up in 2022

This reports shows there were 1,147 inspections of septic tanks and other domestic waste water treatment systems completed by local authorities in 2021. Fifty-three per cent (604) of the systems failed inspection because they were not built or maintained properly. Twenty-nine per cent (337) of systems inspected were considered a risk to human health or the environment, because faulty systems can contaminate household drinking water wells and pollute rivers.

The report also found that only 75% of septic tanks nationally that had failed the inspection since the system came into place in 2013 had been remedied. In Offaly, Of 57 septic tanks in the county that had failed the inspection during 2013-2021, 74% had been remedied by the end of 2021.

Commenting on the report, Dr. Tom Ryan, Director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement said,

“If you do not maintain your septic tank, it can contaminate your own or your neighbour’s drinking water well, or your local stream, putting your health at risk and that of your family and neighbours. Some of these problems may go unnoticed unless householders check their septic tank and drinking water well. Householders should visually check their septic tank and get their well tested at least annually to satisfy themselves that their septic tank is not posing a risk to the health of their families, their neighbours and the environment. Where problems are detected, householders need to take the necessary steps to fix their septic tanks.”

Local authorities issue advisory notices to householders setting out what is required to fix septic tanks that fail inspection. The report found there were 533 cases where issues notified to householders over two years previously had still not been addressed. The septic tank grant scheme, which was expanded in 2020, offers grants of €5,000 to assist in addressing malfunctioning systems.

Noel Byrne, EPA Programme Manager said,

'The need to fix failing septic tanks has been repeatedly highlighted by the EPA as a concern. It is unacceptable that over 500 failed septic tanks are not fixed more than two years after inspection. Over half of these involve sewage ponding in gardens and discharging to ditches and streams, which cannot be allowed to continue. Local authorities must increase their enforcement effort to ensure failed systems are fixed.”