More than half of septic tanks failing inspections
WELL over half of all the septic tanks checked in Cork in 2019 failed the inspection in a failure rate that was largely in line with the national figure. The Environmental Protection Agency’s annual report for 2019 showed there are nearly half a million wastewater treatment systems in the country, with septic tanks comprising the majority type.
In 2019, 52 septic tanks were examined in Cork with 34 of them failing to make the grade, a failure rate of 65 per cent.
More than 200 tanks in the county have failed inspections in the past eight year since the new regulations governing wastewater systems were introduced. But the EPA understands that the vast majority have since been brought in line with the standards imposed by the modern regulations.
It is the Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012 that provides for the national inspection system for domestic treatment systems.
All inspections here are carried out by trained inspection staff from Cork County Council with dwellings due for inspection notified in advance by the Council.
Cork County Council may also carry out inspections of domestic wastewater treatment systems for other purposes. For example, inspections may be carried out in circumstances where a complaint or report of a malfunctioning system is received from a member of the public. These inspections may not be pre-notified.
An inspection under the National Inspection Plan checks that a domestic waste water treatment system is fit for purpose and that it does not pose a risk to human health or the environment. If a system fails an inspection then an advisory notice is issued. This specifies the reasons for failure and what measures need to be taken to fix the problem. The inspections are carried out by local authority inspectors appointed by the EPA. The objective of the inspection strategy is to reduce the risk posed to human health and effect improvements in water quality.
A minimum of 201 inspections is required to be made in Cork in any three-year period, with the target met in Cork at a rate of 67 inspections per year each year from 2015 to 2017.