8.1.13

Septic tanks and other domestic wastewater treatment systems


Septic tanks and other domestic wastewater treatment systemsIntroduction
A new registration and inspection regime was introduced in June 2012 for domestic waste water treatment systems, such as septic tanks. The new regime aims to protect ground and surface water quality from the risks posed by malfunctioning systems. It is being introduced under the Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012 with further detail in the Water Services Acts 2007 and 2012 (Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems) Regulations 2012.

Rules

Registration

If you have a septic tank or similar system, you must register its details with your local authority and pay a registration fee. You will have to re-register after 5 years but you will not have to pay a fee for the second or subsequent registrations. The registration system was launched on 26 June 2012 and the deadline for registration is 1 February 2013 - see 'How to apply' below.
The local authorities will compile a national register, which will be publicly available, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will develop a national inspection plan.

Maintenance

Owners of domestic wastewater treatment systems need to:
  • Know where their septic tank is located
  • Operate and maintain the system so it is fit for purpose and fully operational
  • Ensure that the system cannot pollute the environment by discharging or leaking waste anywhere it is not supposed to, that is, into the ground or any water source
  • Ensure that roof water or surface water run-off cannot enter a domestic waste water treatment system
  • De-sludge the system at intervals appropriate to the tank capacity and the number of people resident in the premises connected to it, or as recommended by the system’s manufacturer. De-sludging should be carried out by an authorised contractor. You should keep the receipt from the contractor for 5 years.

Inspections

Local authorities will arrange for inspections to be carried out. The inspectors will be appointed and approved by the EPA. They will have to carry identification and show it to householders on request.
Inspections will start in 2013 and will concentrate on areas with high risk to the environment and public health – where drinking water sources or habitats are at risk from wastewater discharges. They will also be carried out in areas of lower risk, but at a lower rate. Your local authority will notify you if your domestic wastewater treatment system is to be inspected.
If the inspector finds that your system is working properly and being maintained correctly, you need take no extra action. Otherwise you will get an advisory notice from the local authority, requiring you to improve the maintenance of your system or to upgrade or remediate it. Any remediation work required will be based on factors such as the nature of the problem, the extent of risk to public health or the environment, existing site size and the hydrological and geological conditions present.
You may be able to get a grant to help with the cost of the work required. The grant is means-tested and you must have registered by 1 February 2013 to be eligible.

Standards

If you have a septic tank or similar domestic wastewater treatment system, you already have a duty of care (under the Water Services Act 2007) to ensure that your treatment system does not cause a risk to human health or the environment or create a nuisance through odours. The 2012 Act adds to the existing duty of care provisions.
The EPA’s 2009 Code of Practice on wastewater treatment systems for single houses sets out the most up-to-date standards. However, these will not be applied to older systems. The 2012 Regulations define performance standards, including maintenance and de-sludging requirements.

Rates

The registration fee is €50. (It was €5 up to 28 September 2012.)
There will be no inspection charge.
The costs of any remediation will depend on the extent and nature of the work required.

How to apply

You must register your system by 1 February 2013 and there are 3 ways to do this:
  • By post: forms are available in city/county councils, libraries and Citizens Information Centres or by calling LoCall 1890 800 800 for information. Cheques should be made payable to ‘Protect Our Water’ and posted to Protect our Water, PO Box 12204, Dublin 7.

Further information

The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government has published an information note (pdf) on the legislation and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a set of Frequently Asked Questions.
There is also a detailed set of FAQs on protectourwater.ie.
You can contact your local authority or the Environmental Protection Agency for more information.

Iniúchadh umair sheipteacha agus córais chóireála fuíolluisce tí eile

Réamhrá

I Meitheamh 2012 tháinig córas nua cláraithe agus iniúchta isteach do chórais chóireála fuíolluisce tí, ar nós umair sheipteacha. Tá sé de chuspóir ag an gcóras nua cáilíocht uisce dromchla agus screamhuisce a chosaint ón mbaol a chruthaíonn córais nach bhfuil ag feidhmiú i gceart. Tá sé á thabhairt isteach faoin Acht um Sheirbhísí Uisce (Leasú) 2012 (pdf) le tuilleadh sonraí san Acht um Sheirbhísí Uisce 2007 (pdf) agus sna Rialacháin (Córais Chóireála Fuíolluisce Tí) 2012.

Rialacha

Clárú

Má tá agat córas umair sheiptigh nó córas atá cosúil leis sin, beidh ort a chuid sonraí a chlárú le d’údarás áitiúil agus táille chláraithe a íoc. Beidh ort athchlárú i ndiaidh 5 bliana ach ní gá íoc as an dara clárú ná inia dhiaidh sin. Seoladh an córas cláraithe seolta an 26 Meitheamh 2012 agus is é an spriocdháta le haghaidh clárú 1 Feabhra 2013.
Cuirfidh na húdaráis áitiúla clár náisiúnta le chéile, ar a mbeidh fáil phoiblí, agus déanfaidh an Ghníomhaireacht um Chaomhnú Comhshaoil (GCC) plean náisiúnta iniúchta a fhorbairt.

Cothabháil

Is gá d’úinéirí córais fuíolluisce tí an méid a leanas a dhéanamh:
  • Fios a bheith acu cá bhfuil a n-umar seipteach lonnaithe
  • An córas a oibriú agus a chothabháil ionas go mbíonn sé in ann feidhmiú i gceart agus go hiomlán
  • A chinntiú nach féidir leis an gcóras an comhshaol a thruailliú trí dhramhaíl a sceitheadh nó a shileadh aon áit nár cheart dó amhlaidh a dhéanamh, is é sin, isteach sa talamh nó in aon fhoinse uisce
  • A chinntiú nach féidir le huisce dín nó rith chun srutha dromchla iontráil isteach i gcóras cóireála fuíolluisce tí
  • An slodach a bhaint den chóras ag eatraimh a oireann do thoilleadh an umair agus do líon na ndaoine a chónaíonn san áitreabh lena mbaineann sé, nó amhail a mholann déantúsóir an chórais. Ba cheart do chonraitheoir údaraithe tabhairt faoin slodach a bhaint. Ba cheart duit an fáltas a choimeád ón gconraitheoir ar feadh 5 bliana.

Iniúchtaí

Socróidh údaráis áitiúla tabhairt faoi iniúchtaí. Ceapfaidh agus ceadóidh an GCC na hiniúchóirí. Beidh orthu comhartha aitheantais a bheith acu agus é a thaispeáint do na sealbhóirí tí, ar iarraidh sin.
Tosóidh iniúchtaí in 2013 agus beidh siad dírithe ar limistéir a chruthaíonn ardbhaol don chomhshaol agus do shláinte phoiblí – áiteanna ina bhfuil foinsí uisce óil i mbaol de bharr sceitheadh fuíolluisce. Ina theannta sin, tabharfar fúthu i limistéir bhaoil níos lú, ach ar ráta níos ísle. Cuirfidh d’údarás áitiúil thú ar an eolas má bheidh iniúchadh le déanamh ar do chóras cóireála fuíolluisce tí.
Más dóigh leis an iniúchóir go bhfuil do chóras ag oibriú i gceart agus go bhfuil an obair cheart chothabhála á déanamh air, ní gá duit aon ghníomhartha breise a dhéanamh. Seachas sin, gheobhaidh tú fógra comhairleach ón údarás áitiúil, a iarrfaidh ort cothabháil do chórais a fheabhsú nó chun é a uasghrádú nó a fheabhsú. Bunófar aon obair feabhsúcháin a theastóidh ar thosca, ar nós chineál na faidhbe, méid an bhaoil i leith sláinte phoiblí nó an chomhshaoil, méid reatha an tsuímh agus na coinníollacha hidreolaíocha agus geolaíocha atá i láthair.

Caighdeáin

Má tá agat umar seipteach nó córas cóireála fuíolluisce tí atá cosúil leis, tá dualgas ort cheana féin chun aire a thabhairt dó (faoin Acht um Sheirbhísí Uisce 2007) lena chinntiú nach mbíonn do chóras ina bhaol do shláinte daoine nó don chomhshaol nó nach mbíonn sé ina údar le cur isteach ar dhaoine de bharr bolaithe. Cuireann Acht 2012 leis na forálacha reatha um dhualgas cúraim.
Leagtar amach i gCód Cleachtais an GCC um chórais chóireála fuíolluisce do thithe singil na caighdeáin is cothroime le dáta. Ní chuirfear seo i bhfeidhm do chórais níos sine, áfach. Tugann na Rialacháin 2012 sainmhíniú ar chaighdeáin fheidhmíochta, lena n-áirítear riachtanais chothabhála agus díslodaithe.

 

Rátaí

Caithfidh tú táille chláraithe €50 a íoc. (Bhí €5 i gceist roimh an 30 Meán Fómhair 2012.)
Ní bheidh aon táille iniúchta.
Braithfidh costais aon fheabhsúchán ar mhéid agus ar chineál na hoibre a theastóidh.

Conas iarratas a dhéanamh

Caithfidh tú do chóras a chlárú roimh 1 Feabhra 2012 agus tá 3 bhealach le hé a dhéanamh:
  • Ar líne ag protectorourwater.ie
  • Tríd an bpost: tá foirmeacha ar fáil i gcomhairlí contae/cathracha, leabharlanna agus Lárionaid Faisnéise do Shaoránaigh nó trí Lóghlao 1890 800 800 chun faisnéis a fháil. Ba chóir de sheic bheith iníoctha le ‘Cosain Ár nUisce’ agus postáilte chuig Cosain Ár nUisce, Bosca Oifig Poist 12204, Baile Átha Cliath 7.
  • In oifigí údarás áitiúla (ní ghearrfar táille riaracháin)

Tuilleadh eolais

D’fhoilsigh an Roinn Comhshaoil, Pobail agus Rialtais Áitiúil nóta faisnéise (pdf) faoin reachtaíocht agus d’fhoilsigh an Ghníomhaireacht um Chaomhnú Comhshaoil (GCC) sraith Ceisteanna Coitianta.
Tá ceisteanna coitianta foilsithe ar protectourwater.ie freisin.
Is féidir leat teagmháil a dhéanamh le d’údarás áitiúil nó leis an nGníomhaireacht um Chaomhnú Comhshaoil.

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