Kildare Among Worst Counties For Failing Septic Tanks, As EPA Warns Of Health And Pollution Risks

Wednesday, 14 May 2025 08:39

By Martin Osborne

Programme Manager with the EPA Noel Byrne say grants to rectify issues with tanks are available.

More than half of home septic tanks inspected last year were not working properly, sparking concerns that untreated wastewater from toilets and sinks may be leaking into gardens and rivers.

Local Authorities looked at nearly 14 hundred tanks near rivers and household drinking water wells.

Counties with the highest failure rates were Kildare, Laois, Westmeath, Roscommon, Leitrim and Offaly where between 70-97pc of inspected tanks failed.

The figures from the Environmental Protection Agency also found that 82 per cent of failures between 2013 and 2024 were fixed by the end of last year.

Programme Manager with the EPA Noel Byrne say grants to rectify issues with tanks are available.

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