Almost half of all septic tank inspected in Galway last year failed to meet standards the latest EPA findings have revealed.
The EPA this week released its Domestic Waste Water Treatment System (DWWTS) Inspections 2022 report.
Of the 93 inspections carried out in Galway County last year, 46% failed their inspections.
There were 325 failures reported in Galway from 2013 – 2022, of which 63% had been fixed by the end of last year according to the report.
This is the fifth lowest repair rate reported in the country, with only Tipperary, Leitrim, Waterford, and Roscommon fixing fewer faulty septic tanks.
Nationwide, half of all septic tanks inspected by the EPA failed to pass muster, and 20% posed a risk to human health.
Commenting on the report, Dr. Tom Ryan, Director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement said, “Faulty septic tanks are a risk to human health and the environment.”
“If not built and operated properly, they can pollute watercourses and contaminate household drinking water wells with harmful bacteria and viruses.”
“Where septic tanks are not functioning properly, it is critical that householders fix the problems to protect their family’s health, and the environment.”
The EPA examined the 1,143 inspections of domestic waste water treatment systems completed by local authorities in 2022.
Forty-nine percent (560) of the treatment systems failed inspection because they were not built or maintained properly.
Twenty percent (230) of treatment systems inspected were considered a risk to human health or the environment, because faulty systems can contaminate household drinking water wells and pollute rivers.
Noel Byrne, EPA Programme Manager said, “It is unacceptable that failed septic tanks have not been fixed more than two years after inspection.”
“Half of these involve sewage surfacing in gardens and discharging to ditches and streams, which are health risks that cannot be allowed to continue.”
“Greater enforcement is needed by local authorities, particularly in Roscommon, Waterford, Leitrim and Tipperary, to ensure failed systems are fixed to protect human health and the environment.”
The report, Domestic Waste Water Treatment System Inspections 2022, is available on the EPA’s website.
