The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Mr. Phil Hogan, T.D., has announced a grant scheme to provide financial assistance to households whose septic tanks and other domestic waste water treatment systems, require remediation or upgrading following inspection under the Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012.

Inspections are expected to commence in 2013 and will be based on a national inspection plan currently being finalised by the Environmental Protection Agency. All domestic septic tanks and other waste water systems should be registered not later than 1st February 2013 on www.ProtectOurWater.ie or by post or in local authority offices. Waste water systems that that have not been registered by 1st February will also be subject to inspection.

The Minister stated: "I am very conscious of householders' concerns regarding some costs in repairing or upgrading their systems if they fail an inspection. Even though most of the deficiencies with septic tanks are likely to be remedied by routine maintenance including regular desludging, I am making this announcement today to reassure people that they will be assisted in meeting the costs of any remedial works that may be necessary arising from the implementation of the 2012 legislation. This is in keeping with the commitment I gave when the legislation was being debated in the Oireachtas this time last year. The scheme will provide a higher level of support to those on lower incomes.

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"While the majority of septic tanks may be working well, and in those cases the householders should have nothing to worry about, those tanks that are not working properly may be polluting groundwater and contaminating our drinking water supplies and must be remediated. No one better understands the risks associated with malfunctioning on-site waste water treatment systems than the people who live in close proximity to them and source their drinking water from their own wells or from their local group water scheme. The key objective of this legislation is to enhance and protect public health and the environment which will, in turn, benefit rural dwellers in terms of a better quality of life and better quality water. Protecting our environment will also have positive economic benefits for the tourism, recreation, agricultural and food-producing sectors, all of which rely on clean water. Clean water is vital for attracting inward investment and to support water hungry sectors such as pharmaceuticals and ICT."

The Minister said a strict condition of eligibility for grant aid will be that the householder has registered their system by the prescribed date of 1 February 2013. The Minister stated: "It will be a condition for eligibility for financial assistance under the scheme that householders comply with the legal requirement to register their system by 1 February 2013 on www.ProtectOurWater.ie." To date 290,000 people (58%) have registered their systems. Census 2011 indicates that there are about 497,000 septic tanks and similar systems in Ireland.

(CD)