From the 1st of January 2024, more households will be eligible for a grant to repair, replace, or upgrade their Domestic Waste Water Treatment System, also commonly known as a septic tank. The previous requirement for the septic tank to be registered before February 2013 to avail of the grant has been removed. The maximum amount available will also increase to €12,000 from €5,000.
Septic tanks collect, treat, and discharge waste water from households that are not connected to public sewers. The homeowner has a responsibility to maintain the tank by regularly having it emptied and cleaned by a licensed professional. Poor maintenance can damage the system, or cause waste to overflow to surrounding gardens, fields, and water sources, posing a health risk to humans and the environment. Click here for more information on the Walsh Waste septic tank emptying service.
All septic tanks must also be registered with a Local Authority, who may inspect it to ensure it is working correctly. This news comes as half of the septic tanks inspected in 2022 failed, with 1 in 5 deemed a risk to human health.
There are 3 different grant schemes for replacing or upgrading your septic tank system, for more information on the criteria visit gov.ie here.