Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

Section 70 of the Water Services Act 2007 provides that owners of septic tanks and other on-site wastewater treatment systems must ensure that their systems do not cause a risk to human health or the environment. The Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 augments the requirements of the 2007 Act and introduces a new registration and inspection system for septic tanks and other on-site wastewater treatment systems.

I am glad to say the President has signed the legislation. It is my intention, following the enactment of the legislation, to carry out a public consultation on draft performance standards for domestic wastewater treatment systems, which will be prepared by my Department in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency. These standards will also include the minimum requirements for the maintenance and de-sludging of treatment systems. The consultation process, which will be open for four weeks, will commence later this month.

I have previously signalled my intention to keep under review all possible options to provide financial support to householders whose systems, following inspection, are deemed to require substantial remediation or upgrading. The position regarding the extent of failing systems and remediation costs arising will become clear when inspections are under way. However, any support must have regard to the overall budgetary situation and to the financial position of individual households.

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