More than 80 per cent of faulty septic tanks in Donegal have been repaired, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has said.
This is one of the highest rates in the country.
The EPA carried out 1,189 tank inspections last year, almost 10 per cent of them in Donegal.
Donegal County Council was required to carry out 107 examinations in 2023, but surpassed that figure with 113. Between 2013 and 2023, 81 per cent of faulty tanks in the county have been repaired.
No county recorded a 100pc fix rate. That’s despite grants for fixing septic tanks more than doubling, from €5,000 to €12,000, from the start of this year. Eligibility criteria have also softened. Anyone who has been notified of an issue, and doesn’t attempt to address it, could face a fine of €5,000 and a court appearance.
EPA programme manager Noel Byrne said this left little excuse for householders to neglect their tanks.
“It is unacceptable that the number of septic tanks left unfixed for more than two years continues to rise,” he said. “Greater enforcement is needed by local authorities to ensure failed systems are fixed.
“Where faulty septic tanks are not being fixed, particularly given the availability of the enhanced grant scheme, local authorities need to use their enforcement powers to protect the environment and public health.”
However, almost half of household septic tanks checked last year across the country failed inspection. The EPA warned the high failure rate was a serious health risk to humans and an environmental hazard to waterways.
It found 45pc of septic tanks failed to make the grade because they were not maintained properly or not installed correctly in the first place.
The tanks selected for inspection were targeted because they were close to drinking water wells and rivers where the risk of contamination is highest.
They put people at risk of exposure to raw sewage seeping into their gardens and to harmful bacteria and viruses in their drinking water.
They also risked choking rivers with high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen escaping through drainage channels after inadequate treatment.
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