Septic tank bombshell for thousands of rural dwellers

alibabba · 28-07-2011 8:56am #1

Well the County Council approved the septic tanks during planning permission, so if they want them changed, they can pay for it themselves.

Septic tank bombshell for thousands of rural dwellers
July 28, 2011 - 7:00am
by Declan Tierney
Thousands of rural houses in County Galway could face the prospect of having to replace their septic tanks under a stringent EU directive that could be implemented by the Government as early as next September.

It means that householders whose septic tanks are not compliant with EU standards will have to replace them at a cost of around €7,000.

And what will really infuriate farmers and those living in one off houses in rural areas is that their existing septic tanks are functioning perfectly but may not conform to what is required by the EU.

If the new directives are introduced, it means that every household in County Galway operating with a septic tank will be inspected by an environmental officer from the local County Council – at a cost of around €300 to the householder – to determine if they comply with the standards that have to be complied with.

In fact the number of households in the county that fall into this category has been confirmed by the IFA who are up in arms over the prospect of rural dwellers having to replace “perfectly good systems” with new state-of-the-art septic tanks.

Indeed the proposed new property tax of €100 per household almost pales into insignificance compared to what rural households face if they have to replace their septic tanks - and there are tens of thousands who will be affected even if the figure is considerably lower than the IFA estimate of up to 70,000 houses.

Tom Turley from Eyrecourt, who is Chairman of the IFA Rural Development Committee, told the Connacht Tribune that inspections were already being carried out in County Offaly on rural septic tanks even before any legislation has been enacted.

“This is a cash cow for local authorities. Householders will have to pay for inspections to be carried out, foot the bill of replacing their septic tanks and possibly pay an annual charge to have them inspected again”, Mr. Turley warned.

See full story in this week's Connacht Tribune.

death1234567 · 28-07-2011 9:02am

"Hello. I'm here to inspect your septic tank, Do you have one?"
"Yes."
"I'm sure its fine. I'll just write on this form that it meets the EU standards so you won't have to replace your septic tank with a brand new one."
"Okay"
"That's €300".

sh1tstirrer · 28-07-2011 9:13am

Every time I read about this the cost keeps going up. First it was 4000 to replace your tank and an 80 euro a year licence. Then it was 5000 to replace the tank and 200 euro for them to inspect it now its 7000 for the tank and 300 for the inspection. Do they honestly think that householders are going to pay to get their tanks inspected.

coup1917 · 28-07-2011 11:31am

sh1tstirrer wrote: »

Every time I read about this the cost keeps going up. First it was 4000 to replace your tank and an 80 euro a year licence. Then it was 5000 to replace the tank and 200 euro for them to inspect it now its 7000 for the tank and 300 for the inspection. Do they honestly think that householders are going to pay to get their tanks inspected.

There's no way they'd get that sort of figure out of rural homes..
On top of property tax & then water tax - they are talkin about this jumping up to €500 - €700 over the next couple of years...

No one is gonna dig up a perfectly good tank and replace at their own expense...
Can't see how they would enforce this....??

padraig71 · 28-07-2011 1:17pm

My landlord had to put in a new tank last year for the house where I live, in order to meet building regulations, because the tank he had put in with the house when it was built a few years ago didn't meet the relevant criteria. The newer, recommended system we now have is ugly (sits above ground like a big plastic flying saucer), noisy (gurgles incessantly), smelly, and consumes electricity. It's nearly as unbelievable as the fact that, during the so-called construction boom, permission was given for houses with oil-fired central heating - in the age of peak oil and in a country where we import 90 per cent of our energy!

How I dream of building a sustainable off-grid straw-bale/passivhaus eco-house with a compost toilet, recycled rainwater, and wind and solar power generation. As it is, the only way to own your own home is to take on a massive debt to buy a house that is not even fit for purpose - that is, if you can find anyone to lend you the money. There are alternatives that make more sense, but the politicians and the building lobby have too much invested in the status quo.

LowOdour · 28-07-2011 1:20pm

Anyone have any examples of the type of septic tank they are looking for? I'll be needing one soon, best get a proper one in to begin with.

galwayrush · 28-07-2011 10:57pm

Mine is working well, it's the old type they want to get rid of. They can **** off if they think i'll change it at an expense i simply cannot afford.

R P McMurphy · 29-07-2011 3:42pm

galwayrush wrote: »

Mine is working well, it's the old type they want to get rid of. They can **** off if they think i'll change it at an expense i simply cannot afford.

Wonder what would happen if they said you had to get a new one and you point blank refused? fines/court/eviction from your own home?

galwayrush · 29-07-2011 10:31pm

R P McMurphy wrote: »

Wonder what would happen if they said you had to get a new one and you point blank refused? fines/court/eviction from your own home?

I can't afford one, so how do i get to buy one?
Eviction...:pac::pac::pac: Excellent, the state will then have to house me, no more mortgage payments, no more stealth taxes on my home.

30-07-2011 7:51pm

I assume you will have to have it certified that its suitable before you can sell your home

dhoun · 18-10-2011 11:31pm

Over my dead body will I pay for another septic tank.

vibe666 · 18-10-2011 11:36pm

sh1tstirrer wrote: »

Every time I read about this the cost keeps going up. First it was 4000 to replace your tank and an 80 euro a year licence. Then it was 5000 to replace the tank and 200 euro for them to inspect it now its 7000 for the tank and 300 for the inspection. Do they honestly think that householders are going to pay to get their tanks inspected.

is this anything to do with your username? :pac:

Snacker · 19-10-2011 1:21am

built a new house a few years ago myself and dad built our own septic tank out of blocks down in a hole in the garden working fine!

19-10-2011 1:38am

Snacker wrote: »

built a new house a few years ago myself and dad built our own septic tank out of blocks down in a hole in the garden working fine!

:eek:

sorry, but there is no way that is not leaking raw sewerage into the water table

galwayrush · 19-10-2011 8:10am

Deleted User wrote: »

:eek:

sorry, but there is no way that is not leaking raw sewerage into the water table

Why so?:rolleyes:
The crap is broken down in a tank chamber before the water moves to the soakage area., i don't see why such a tank can't work

20-10-2011 2:27am

you stated it was a septic tank made out of blocks. Is the inside lined to prevent leakage or seeping?

sorry if Im way off here, Im only going by what you posted, hence my comment that it has to be leaking sewerage

galwayrush · 20-10-2011 7:51am

Deleted User wrote: »

you stated it was a septic tank made out of blocks. Is the inside lined to prevent leakage or seeping?

sorry if Im way off here, Im only going by what you posted, hence my comment that it has to be leaking sewerage

Fair enough, i should have added 'if the block tank was built to a proper standard.:)

tred · 20-10-2011 11:10am

galwayrush wrote: »

Fair enough, i should have added 'if the block tank was built to a proper standard.:)

Tanks, were built block on flat in the 60s and 70's, i wonder how many of them were sealed and plastered inside!. Not sure what was saved on building that tank, over just buying a figure of 8 tank for 800 euro!

A grand now, would get you a precast tank, but if there enforcing a treatment plant, then your talking between 2500 and 4500 depending on if u go for mass concretete/Plastic/peat modules etc.
and then there is the energy consumption.

Snacker · 21-10-2011 2:46pm

Deleted User wrote: »

:eek:

sorry, but there is no way that is not leaking raw sewerage into the water table

There is a big drop behind our house and the tank is very deep in the ground and no river/lake for miles

Snacker · 21-10-2011 2:50pm

Deleted User wrote: »

you stated it was a septic tank made out of blocks. Is the inside lined to prevent leakage or seeping?

sorry if Im way off here, Im only going by what you posted, hence my comment that it has to be leaking sewerage

We don't really care what it's leaking to be honest it's very deep and it doesn't affect anyone whatsoever nearby all fields for miles downhill behind my house. We had no choice had to save money.

As far as I know it's plastered on the inside and there's some kind of outlet to let
everything out, it was a few years now can't remember all details...

My main point is. European Union, F**K OFF

23-10-2011 10:03pm

and people wonder how crypotsporidium, ecoli etc occurs in our water

Snacker · 23-10-2011 11:01pm

Deleted User wrote: »

and people wonder how crypotsporidium, ecoli etc occurs in our water

sure i live in the absolute middle of nowhere why does it matter?

John_Rambo · 25-10-2011 9:01pm

Snacker wrote: »

We don't really care what it's leaking to be honest it's very deep and it doesn't affect anyone

This type of attitude shows that things need to be monitored and fines need to be slapped out. People are happy to let their tanks leak in to the water table. Not good. I have spent a lot of time in and on Irish rivers and the damage from this type of thing is fairly evident.

mcgarry098 · 25-10-2011 9:07pm

what a pile of sh1t ;D ;D

Head The Wall · 25-10-2011 11:53pm

Snacker wrote: »

We don't really care what it's leaking to be honest it's very deep and it doesn't affect anyone whatsoever

Out of shight, out of mind

I'll get my coat

Snacker · 26-10-2011 4:52am

John_Rambo wrote: »

This type of attitude shows that things need to be monitored and fines need to be slapped out. People are happy to let their tanks leak in to the water table. Not good. I have spent a lot of time in and on Irish rivers and the damage from this type of thing is fairly evident.

Ya but why does it matter? Most lakes near me are full of dirty rotten pike anyway! I'm one house. There's large towns near me that the gov wouldn't fund a sewage plant for the last ten years. gov should be fined out of their wages not the now non-working class!!

Snacker · 26-10-2011 4:55am

Head The Wall wrote: »

Out of shight, out of mind

I'll get my coat

Out of mind? p.s. we burn our rubbish too. can't afford to pay the rip off private bin fees. It makes sense to us. by the way we can't afford broadband either. I live away from home hence why im on this! it's our garden we're ruining no one elses! I know it sounds backward or whatever, but it makes most financial sense to us, which in these times is most important to us. both my parents worked all their lives. both on social welfare now for last few months.

Head The Wall · 27-10-2011 4:55pm

You do know the worlds longest river is 4,000. This should give you an idea of how far water can travel, just because you think it sinks into the earth and "disappears" doesn't make it so, There is a huge amount of limestone in Ireland through which water flows underground.

The stereotype that springs to my mind is the thick country farmer who won't be told he's wrong. It still doesn't make him right though

sincere113 · 27-10-2011 5:00pm

I will block up my tank, tell them I don't have one, and sh1te in my garden.....

John_Rambo · 27-10-2011 9:40pm

Snacker wrote: »

we burn our rubbish too

Gas, I'm from a city and I have been broke, but I never resorted to polluting or littering.

You'd imagine most rural people would have some sort of connection with the land. Some people have no respect for the land, the rivers, themselves or their neighbours. Snacker, I'm afraid you and your parents fall in to that category.

Head The Wall · 28-10-2011 9:37am

sincere113 wrote: »

I will block up my tank, tell them I don't have one, and sh1te in my garden.....

Yes that'll make them go away. The level of stupidity from some posters here is shocking but not unexpected

sincere113 · 28-10-2011 12:35pm

Head The Wall wrote: »

Yes that'll make them go away. The level of stupidity from some posters here is shocking but not unexpected

What happens if I don't have €300 to pay someone to survey my tank? And God forbid it is condemmed and I need a new one... What happens then?

Why do they think that people can just find money for these things?

dhoun · 28-10-2011 2:31pm

Because we just keep paying for everything 'they' demand from us ... :mad:

Snacker · 31-10-2011 6:27pm

Head The Wall wrote: »

You do know the worlds longest river is 4,000. This should give you an idea of how far water can travel, just because you think it sinks into the earth and "disappears" doesn't make it so, There is a huge amount of limestone in Ireland through which water flows underground.

The stereotype that springs to my mind is the thick country farmer who won't be told he's wrong. It still doesn't make him right though

Ya well maybe i just don't give a ****

Snacker · 31-10-2011 6:29pm

John_Rambo wrote: »

Gas, I'm from a city and I have been broke, but I never resorted to polluting or littering.

You'd imagine most rural people would have some sort of connection with the land. Some people have no respect for the land, the rivers, themselves or their neighbours. Snacker, I'm afraid you and your parents fall in to that category.

I'n not from the country i moved there we dont have big fields or any of that craic. we've never used bins everyone around us burns rubbish too

John_Rambo · 31-10-2011 9:41pm

Snacker wrote: »

I'n not from the country i moved there we dont have big fields or any of that craic. we've never used bins everyone around us burns rubbish too

You could be all caught. Serious consequences if you are.

Head The Wall · 31-10-2011 10:29pm

Snacker wrote: »

I'n not from the country i moved there we dont have big fields or any of that craic. we've never used bins everyone around us burns rubbish too

Oh, so that either makes it ok or it makes ye all as bad as each other.

BTW your abusive post has been reported, that was real intelligent

galwayrush · 31-10-2011 11:37pm

Snacker wrote: »

I'n not from the country i moved there we dont have big fields or any of that craic. we've never used bins everyone around us burns rubbish too

Where is this backward area?

Das Kitty · 02-11-2011 11:02am

Folks,

Can we stay on topic please?

Rubbish can be discussed in another thread.

clanpiper · 17-11-2011 11:59am

I'll try and clarify a couple of points here.

1. Inspection charges - First inspection free, subsequent inspection after appeal of initial decision will be €200

2. You could live 1000s of miles from a river or lake but the bottom line is that raw waste would seep into the ground and mix with natural water flowing over rock polluting the water system.

3. The reason we have to pay a registration charge is not to the benefit of us but to pour into banks and bondholders pockets.

4. No other EU country charges registration fee.

5.All the septic tanks in Ireland are rumoured to be inadequate due to Ireland not being up to date with European directives on waste water treatment.

John_Rambo · 18-11-2011 1:26am

clanpiper wrote: »

I'll try and clarify a couple of points here.

Good sensible points, I pretty sure from friends in France there's a four year inspection and if it's not up to scratch your fined heftily and you have to get it done properly before the next inspection. So it's in your interest to keep it tip top even if you don't give a crap about your environment or your drinking water! (again from friends living over there) They have fibre glass or plastic ones that are pretty efficient, you have to get them drained and they don't encourage too much chemicals (domestos and blue for the loo) which makes me suspect it's recycled. (It's all second hand info though)

Sponge Bob · 18-11-2011 1:49pm

John_Rambo wrote: »

They have fibre glass or plastic ones that are pretty efficient, you have to get them drained and they don't encourage too much chemicals (domestos and blue for the loo) which makes me suspect it's recycled. (It's all second hand info though)

The detergents kill the bugs that ate the crap in there. Try using non bios in your washing machine and your septic tank will love you for it. :cool:

And it will more likely pass inspection!

conaire1 · 16-01-2012 2:21pm

Minister Phil Hogan repeated again today on radio the error that septic tanks were to blame for the serious outbreak of cryptospiridium in the Corrib water supply in 2007. As I recall, officials concluded an overflow of sewage at a Council holding tank in Oughterard was to blame. Are we due an apology from Minister Hogan?
RTE Radio

dhoun · 16-01-2012 4:52pm

How can one know if their tank is likely to pass the inspection or not (emission of odor?) and is there anything specific can be done beforehand to increase the possibility of passing the inspection?

clanpiper · 17-01-2012 3:44pm

dhoun wrote: »

How can one know if their tank is likely to pass the inspection or not (emission of odor?) and is there anything specific can be done beforehand to increase the possibility of passing the inspection?

They are keeping their cards close to their chest on this one. As far as I'm led to believe no specific standards have been publicised as yet. So for example the limit they will set could be something like 1 part raw sewage per million parts water could deem that the septic tank is failing. This is just one example, trust me they will have dozens of standards that must be met. There are some scrupulous septic tank cleaning companies who are advertising at present to service your tank free so you are more than prepared for these examinations. Don't be fooled by these companies. They have no idea of the standards that will be set. They could service your tank for free but tell you you need to spend hundreds on a new pump or treatment particles etc for you to give them money to get the job done only for your tank to be condemned anyway because it doesnt meet required European standards.

johngalway · 18-01-2012 1:21pm

conaire1 wrote: »

As I recall, officials concluded an overflow of sewage at a Council holding tank in Oughterard was to blame. Are we due an apology from Minister Hogan?
RTE Radio

I went for an interview for the council and that episode was mentioned (by them). The panel firmly planted the blame on farmers alone. Seeing as I am a farmer, and was an interviewee there wasn't a lot I could say to them that wouldn't sink my chances. That I didn't get the job just makes me regret it now!

When you look at works like Clifden polluting that bay, only recently sorted I believe, they're (the council) some shower to be passing the buck along.

Tinder · 19-01-2012 12:20pm

I think the main problem with this tax is not an equitable tax, it is mainly a tax on rural dwellers. Nobody in any of our main cities or towns will have to pay this tax, yet all of our taxes, country and city dwellers, pay for city and large town dwellers waste removal.

I think if they brought in a sewage tax for all of the population and use this to treat sewage country wide it would be more equatable and acceptable to all.

Sponge Bob · 20-01-2012 10:30am

Fidelma Healy Eames has announced that she will not visit any rural area to meet the plebs locals and 'discuss' their concerns unless they GUARANTEE that there will be no protest when she arrives.

Ithaca · 20-01-2012 10:42am

If you take an identical house in an urban and rural setting the urban house is more expensive to buy. Built into the price of the urban house are various things including not needing a septic tank so urban dwellers have in theory paid a premium for their location's facilities.

People who chose to buy in a rural setting did so for a variety of reasons, some including getting more house and garden for their cash and good luck to them. Along with that came responsibility for their septic tank.

Having said all that the abolition of rates for urban households in the early '80s (for vote-buying purposes by FF) has left urban households not contributing anything to the maintenance of the facilities. The new household charge doesn't really address that as it applies to all equally.

In my opinion all of this will come down to some kind of means tested grant for the anticipated 20% that have a problem with their tank.

richardw001 · 20-01-2012 12:01pm

Ithaca wrote: »

If you take an identical house in an urban and rural setting the urban house is more expensive to buy. Built into the price of the urban house are various things including not needing a septic tank so urban dwellers have in theory paid a premium for their location's facilities.

People who chose to buy in a rural setting did so for a variety of reasons, some including getting more house and garden for their cash and good luck to them. Along with that came responsibility for their septic tank.

Having said all that the abolition of rates for urban households in the early '80s (for vote-buying purposes by FF) has left urban households not contributing anything to the maintenance of the facilities. The new household charge doesn't really address that as it applies to all equally.

In my opinion all of this will come down to some kind of means tested grant for the anticipated 20% that have a problem with their tank.

That sounds sensible - however I think it should go a step further - firstly all inspections should be free - on one hand you'll have "free inspections" for things such as whether people have paid the household charge/broadband charge and on the other hand - something that has to do with public safety will be charged for - this doesn't make sense - as it will automatically become an issue of people trying to evade rather than fix.
Secondly if someone has the misfortune to have a problem with their septic tank then repairs should be tax deductable (if they can afford to pay) or/and grant based (mean tested).
That's just my opinion anyways :-)

mikom · 20-01-2012 1:30pm

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Fidelma Healy Eames has announced that she will not visit any rural area to meet the plebs locals and 'discuss' their concerns unless they GUARANTEE that there will be no protest when she arrives.

What a Soldier.
Maybe all the protesters can stay at home playing their X boxes fitted with Healy Eames chips.
Muppet.

Septic tank bombshell for thousands of rural dwellers

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