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Report: Inishowen Independent
MORE than 2,000 homes
in south Inishowen will be targeted for early
assessment under the forthcoming septic tank
inspection regime.
The Irish Independent this week reported that the
Environmental Protection Agency has developed a
register of at-risk areas based on water quality and
soil conditions, with homes in areas with the
highest risk being targeted for inspection first.
More than 2,000 homes with septic tanks along the
southern reaches of Lough Swilly, from Carrowen in
Burt to Manorcunningham and Letterkenny are
considered to pose a risk, as well as a further
1,000+ tanks from Drumfries to Bridgend, including
Buncrana. They are among 35,000 at-risk tanks across
the country that will be inspected in the first
phase of examinations.
However, Newtown-based Fianna Fáil councillor Paul
Canning questioned how the risk of pollution from
septic tanks had been assessed.
“The very nature of the ground in which these
supposedly at-risk tanks are located is good soil
for the proper treatment of effluent,” Cllr Canning
said. “This begs the question as to how this area
was targeted.
“It may be based on certain water samples taken from
the River Swilly that has effluent and grey water
discharging into it from urban treatment systems
every day.
“If that’s the case, Donegal County Council needs to
get its own house in order first in terms of
discharges from their urban plants before they
target rural dwellers with septic tanks.”
Sinn Féin Buncrana town councillor Mary Kelly, who
last year helped organise the collection of a
petition opposing the septic tank charge, said the
proposals discriminate against rural dwellers.
Urban dwellers have their sewage systems provided
free of charge.
“Rural dwellers are expected to pay all the charges
when they are building their house and then they are
expected to pay for the upgrade in the septic
tanks.”
She added: “I am finding that people are
increasingly desperate and wondering where they are
going to find the money from.
“More and more people are on the phone simply
stating that they do not have the money to pay
anymore and wondering what they can do.
“People do not need this added fear of having to pay
for a new septic tank system.”
Councillor Kelly continued: “We also have not seen
by what standards are these inspections going to be
based.
“People need to know what they have to do to bring
their system up to standard but this is not being
made clear.
“This area is going to be hit hardest when these
inspections start and we need to have answers to all
the questions that have arisen.”
From later this year, owners of tanks will have to
register their system at an initial cost of €5 for
the past three months, and €50 thereafter.
A replacement tank can cost between €5,000 and
€12,000, with the cost being borne by householders.
Minister for Environment Phil Hogan is currently
ruling out a grant scheme to help householders
obliged to replace their septic tank. |
